Beet and Wheat Berry Salad with Arugula and Apples  yellow_icon  Green_icon

Serves 6 • Cooking Time 10 to 11 hours on Low or 7 to 8 hours on High • Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

Slug Icon WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: This hearty vegetarian entrée features nutty wheat berries, earthy beets, crisp apples, and fresh arugula, all tied together at the end with a lively vinaigrette and fresh goat cheese. The flavor of wheat berries works especially well in salads and pairs nicely with the sweet and rich beets. Even better, the wheat berries can be slowly simmered alongside the beets, which we wrapped in foil to keep the cooking even and the deep color from bleeding into the grain. Minced garlic and thyme, added right to the slow cooker, provided an aromatic backbone. Once the wheat berries were tender, we drained them and dressed them with a simple red wine vinaigrette. Baby arugula and Granny Smith apples rounded out our salad with their bitter and sweet-tart notes, and crumbled goat cheese provided a creamy, tangy counterpoint to the wheat berries and beets. To ensure even cooking, we recommend using beets that are similar in size—roughly 3 inches in diameter. Once fully cooked, the wheat berries will still retain a pleasingly chewy texture. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1

cup wheat berries

2

garlic cloves, minced

2

teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried

Salt and pepper

1

pound beets, trimmed

3

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3

tablespoons red wine vinegar

Pinch sugar

4

ounces (4 cups) baby arugula

1

Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, halved, and cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges

4

ounces goat cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

1. Combine 5 cups water, wheat berries, garlic, thyme, and ½ teaspoon salt in slow cooker. Wrap beets individually in aluminum foil and place in slow cooker. Cover and cook until wheat berries and beets are tender, 10 to 11 hours on low or 7 to 8 hours on high.

2. Transfer beets to cutting board, open foil, and let cool. Rub off beet skins with paper towels and cut beets into ½-inch-thick wedges.

3. Drain wheat berries and return to now-empty slow cooker. Whisk oil, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, pinch pepper, and sugar together in bowl; stir into wheat berries. Gently fold in beets, arugula, and apple and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with goat cheese and serve.

Per serving:
Cal 280
Fat 12g
Sat Fat 4g
Chol 10mg
Carb 35g
Protein 9g
Fiber 7g
Sodium 430mg