Wheatberry Salad

I wanted to make wheatberries for a long time - and my first attempt was a Mark Bittman recipe that I didn't really enjoy. I found this recipe just by searching for a wheatberry salad recipe on Google - and I love it! It's really easy, and good to cook/have around in the summer. It has a lot of olive oil - and you probably don't need to add as much as is called for - but it's delicious if you do :)


1 cup hard winter wheatberries
Kosher salt
1 cup finely diced red onion (1 onion)
6 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 scallions, minced, white and green parts
1/2 red bell pepper, small diced (I just used a whole one...what to do with 1/2 a pepper?)
1 carrot, small diced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Place the wheatberries and 3 cups of boiling salted water in a saucepan and cook, uncovered, over low heat for approximately 45 minutes, or until they are soft. Drain. (The package on the wheatberries I bought said to cook for 25 minutes - which was enough. This may differ greatly depending on the kind of wheatberries you get - just test them and they're ready when they're nice and chewy!)

Saute the red onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar.

In a large bowl, combine the warm wheatberries, sauteed onions, scallions, red bell pepper, carrot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Allow the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes for the wheatberries to absorb the sauce. Season, to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Original recipe here 

Cheesy Black Bean and Pepper Enchiladas

I haven't blogged in quite some time - I've actually had this recipe ready to post for almost a month, but haven't gotten around to it.
Work and life in general has been crazy over the past month, and I have been cooking, but haven't had any time to post! Granted - I've stuck with some of the same few recipes to get through the hot days...I have a great soba noodle salad recipe and a wheatberry salad recipe that I'll post soon.

Anyway, these enchiladas are great. I bought spicy enchilada sauce, and it was certainly spicy!! I suggest using small tortilla shells, as I used the large kind and there was a low filling to tortilla size ratio. Also - mix with your hands....you sort of need to, and it's awesome.

8 tortilla shells
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature (reduced fat if you want...)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 handfuls fresh spinach, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 can enchilada sauce
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
2 jalapenos, sliced thin (optional)
chopped cilantro for garnish


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl combine black beans, cream cheese, bell pepper, onion, spinach, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly using a spoon or your hands.

Lay your tortilla flat and spoon 2 tablespoons of filling in center. Roll up tight and place in large greased baking dish. Fill and roll all 8 shells and lay side by side in baking dish. Top with enchilada sauce, shredded cheese and jalapenos. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and slightly browned. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over enchiladas before serving.

Original recipe here