at home with ann

In my pantry I have two large mason jars with grains in them.  I'm fairly certain one of them is hard red wheat berries.  I determined this after comparing them to a bag I had, and getting really close to stare at them.  For a while, I thought the other jar held barley.  But then I got some barley and it looked different.  Instead of just cooking them and figuring it out, I ignored them for several months, and complained about the space they took up.  Finally, I used them for this recipe and determined they are soft white wheat berries.  Mystery solved.  The mystery of why I can't be bothered to label my jars is still out there, however.  Now I feel like I may have told you this boring story before.  Sorry. This salad is great on it's own, but we had some leftovers from a roast chicken so I added it for some protein.  Chickpeas are a good vegetarian option. Wheat Berry Salad with Chicken 1 cup wheat berries, soaked and then si...

You know how when you order take-out Chinese food and you get way more fortune cookies than the number of people in your party?  The highly sophisticated formula for food per person used by takeout Chinese restaurants is a mystery to me.  Since we always order enough for leftovers, it's ok  to get four cookies for two people.  A few weekends ago we ordered from a new-to-us place that turned out to have extremely generous portions.  Our order of two appetizers and three entrees (we like variety) came with seven fortune cookies.  Seven.  We ate the food for three meals, Jon even had some for extra breakfast and we still ended up throwing some away, along with five of those fortune cookies.  The shame of ordering nearly enough food for a football team prompted me to make a little healthy salad for us to detox on Monday. Wheat Berry Salad 1/2 cup dried wheat berries, steamed - I soak mine overnight, and then simmer in fresh water for about an hour...

I did a similar salad to this a few months ago, but it's really just a template, the possibilities are endless.  It's a great balance of protein, carbs and vegetables to keep you feeling good but not over-stuffed.  It's also excellent on a 95 degree day when you can't stand to be in the kitchen.  So is homemade ice cream, but that's tomorrow's post. Wheat Berry and White Bean Salad 1 cup cooked wheat berries, prepared according to package directions (I use Bob's Red Mill) 1 cup white beans 1/2 cucumber, chopped 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, chopped scallions, sliced olive oil red wine vinegar salt and pepper parsley goat cheese or feta, optional Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, garnish with chopped parsley and goat cheese.  Chill or serve immediately.

I love seafood, especially fish, and I'm making an effort to incorporate more into my diet.  All those good omega-3s and all that.  While canned tuna can be high in mercury, canned salmon is all good.  Of course, you can use fresh if you have some leftover from dinner the night before.  I liked this salad so much I'm planning to stock up on canned salmon next time I go to BJ's.  And also the huge multi-pack of Sharpies, because those are obviously necessary. Inspired by Kath Eats and her Super Salmon Salad , this can definitely be a dish where you throw in whatever is in the fridge and strikes your fancy. Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried wheat berries, cooked according to directions.  I soaked overnight, and then drained, rinsed, covered with fresh water, and simmered for 45 minutes. 1 can salmon, drained 1/2 lemon, juiced 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried dill, or 1 Tablespoon fresh Vegetables - these are just what I had around, use whate...

It's not all hors d'oeuvres and pasta around here, folks.  While we did a pretty good job last week keeping vacation indulgences to a reasonable level, I'm still feeling ready for a bit of a detox.  Maybe a break from the rum for a few weeks.  And a few meals including whole grains and plant based protein.  And gallons of water. I've had my eye on this recipe since January when I saw it on Oh She Glows .  I've never cooked with wheat berries before, but based on my love of couscous, quinoa, and good old brown rice, I knew this would be another favorite.  I used Bob's Red Mill Organic Hard White Wheat Berrie s and I am happy to report they were very easy to cook.  I sort of want to go to the Red Mill and meet Bob.  He looks kindly. Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad based on Oh She Glows and Bob's Red Mill Ingredients 1 cup dried wheat berries 1-2 cups cooked chickpeas, or one can 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 1/2 large English cucumber, chopp...