Packed with goodness...Whole Grain Fruit and Nut Salad...
Day two of super side dishes is here! I’ve been making this dish for a couple of years now; it’s become a regular on our menu. The idea for the salad came when I was planning a party and wanted to make a wild rice dish. It is wonderful to have for lunches, to serve with wild game dishes and well, for just about any time! I have even deemed it “holiday meal worthy.”
The whole grains that I use aren’t hard to find, as a matter of fact, they are carried in most grocery stores and health food stores. You can use any mix you like…there are no rules here. Just be sure to double the amount of water to the volume of grains.
Also, the dried fruits used can be up to you…just pick a couple you enjoy.
The simple Dijon Balsamic dressing is one I use for multiple purposes and has just four ingredients!
The end result is so good and so good for you! When you’re looking for something just a little bit different, try this; you won’t be dissappointed.
P~
- ½ cup red winter wheat berries
- ½ cup oat groats
- ½ cup wheat berries
- ½ cup wild rice blend
- 4 cups water
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 celery sticks, diced
- 2 cups mixture of dried fruits, chopped (I used cranberries, tart cherries and peaches this time)
- 1½ cups pecan pieces
- FOR THE DRESSING:
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- In a large sauce pan, add the grains and the water.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer for about an hour, or until the moisture is absorbed.
- Pour the cooked grains into a colander and rinse well.*
- Allow to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked grains with the onion, celery, fruits and nuts.
- Toss.
- In a separate bowl, add the orange juice, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard.
- Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
- Add to the salad mixture and toss.
- Refrigerate and serve cold.
The rinsed grains...
Chop your dried fruits in about the same size as your onion and celery pieces...
Whisking the oil slowly into the balsamic mix will make create an emulsion - the oil and vinegar will blend rather than separate...I was a bit over zealous in my drizzling of vinegar because you can see a slight separation in this one.
