Get to know wheat berries with this grain salad full of seasonal ingredients

The holiday season is upon us, and while most of us overindulge in all the sweet and savory eats that come with it, this is one dish that’s healthy and delicious.

If you haven’t tried wheat berries, now’s your chance.

For this salad, they’re cooked and tossed with roasted kabocha squash, which has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. To balance out the sweet, I added in fresh cranberries, which are tart and add a bit of a crunch. (If fresh cranberries are too tart for you, try using dried cranberries instead.) And last but not least, it gets drizzled with a sweet-tart pomegranate vinaigrette that ties the whole dish together.

It’s hearty, seasonal and so pretty.

Wheat berry, roasted squash and cranberry salad with pomegranate dressing recipe

Serves 6 – 8

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

For the dressing

• 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the salad

• 1 small kabocha squash or butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-1/2 cups uncooked wheat berries
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. To a blender, add all the ingredients for the dressing, and blend on high until smooth.
2. Transfer to a jar with a lid, and set aside until ready to use.
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Cut and peel the squash, and then dice it into desired-size pieces. Toss the squash in the olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roast it in the oven for 40 minutes or until tender.
5. Meanwhile, to a pot, add the wheat berries and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the wheat berries are soft.
6. Drain the wheat berries, and add them to a mixing bowl. To the bowl, add the cranberries, spinach, onions and parsley.
7. Remove the warm roasted squash from the oven, and add it to the salad. Drizzle with the pomegranate dressing, toss well, and serve.

More cranberry recipes

Cranberry mojitos
Cranberry-walnut tart
Cranberry-orange pancakes