Spelt Berry Salad

Springtime is the perfect weather to start making healthy fresh salads.

This salad contains spelt which tastes great as well as having some nutritional benefits;

Spelt, like kamut, belongs to the wheat grains that can trace its heritage back long before many wheat hybrids. Modern wheat has changed dramatically over the last few decades.

Unlike wheat, spelt grains did not go through those extreme-breeding processes and so it has many of its original traits and remains highly nutritious and flavoursome.

Spelt has a very thick husk, which naturally protects the grain from pollution and pests, therefore farmers tend to use less pesticide as on other conventional grown grains.

Some wheat-sensitive people do not experience allergic reactions when consuming the easy digestible spelt (or kamut) and are able to include spelt-based foods in their diets.

The mineral and nutrient content in spelt may make it a particularly helpful food for persons with migraine headache, arteriosclerosis, or diabetes. This grain will help you to maintain steady blood glucose levels, if eaten unprocessed.

However, if you experience digestive issues then stay away from all grains, spelt included.

Spelt Berry Salad Recipe

Preparation Time:       20 minutes

Completion Time:       2 hours

Makes:                        4 side-serves

Ingredients

1½ cups spelt or wheat kernels

10 cups of water

½ bunch mint

1 yellow capsicum diced

2-3 handful of rocket and spinach

½ cup of golden sultanas

1 cup of shredded radicchio (optional)

1 cup goat cheese crumbled

1 lemon ½ glass olive oil 1 teaspoon of finely ground cummin

Fresh ground pepper Salt to taste

Method

Place grains in stockpot, add water and boil until the grains are soft (approx. 1.5 hours, the grain will burst open when it is ready).

When cooked strain the grain and chill to room temperature. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.

Mix all the ingredients together and serve.

Note: in the above image the ingredients have been mixed together while the spelt was still warm which makes the salad leafs appear to have been lightly cooked; which is another way of serving this dish.

Add all vegetables to the grain and season with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Note:

The salad last for 1 – 2 days in the fridge.

What can you serve with this salad?

Add some roasted temphe and serve it as a main course.

It goes very well with roast fish, meat or smocked chicken or a boiled ham hock.

What else could you add to the recipe?

If you like you can roast the grain just after straining (in a little butter, palm fruit or coconut oil), this will give the grain a nuttier aroma.