Wheat Berry Fig Salad

Though normally an early morning person, a six AM jump start on the day is not very typical for me.

Still, sunlight streaming, and Mariah Carey's "Honey" pouring in from my neighbor's window I seized the chance to get a start on my CSA veggies.

In a summer rife with transition: completing a graduate degree, moving, and that endless rain, the Crown Heights CSA has offered fresh and organic produce from Sang Lee Farms that has given me endless comfort.

And anxiety.
While Not Eating Out in New York's Cathy Erway (a fellow CSA member) provides some tips to handle that overflow, I still have to face the veggies in my fridge.

As a food allergy sufferer, and a recovering grad student, I continually challenge myself to find affordable sources for my balanced diet. Since tree nuts are often hailed as a good source of protein, and meat and fish don't normally find their way into my diet due to cost, I often look to other creative solutions.

Like wheat berries.

These whole wheat kernels are packed with six grams of protein in every half serving, and are sturdy enough to stand up as a solid base for anything from stir fry to my present salad adventure. They are earthy in tone and I hear they taste a bit "nutty," so I get the flavor without the anaphylaxis. WIN.

I tossed some that I had left over from a stir fry with chopped up leafy tat soy greens and pretty u choy flowers (a sweeter cousin to bok choy), topping it all of with some sliced figs for a healthy, hearty breakfast salad. For good measure (and to make another dent in my CSA) I added Genovese basil I had prepped for a pistou to give the salad another rich layer of flavor.

The result was a warm and inviting inviting dish, with plenty for leftovers I'll use to snack on the go.

Wheat Berry Fig Salad
(makes two full servings)

To Prepare Wheat Berries:
Pick through one cup of berries, removing any grit or stones and rinse in cold water.
Cover berries with water, pop in the microwave for two minutes. Simmer in a pot on the stove for twenty more minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain, Rinse and let cool. Their texture should be firm and slightly chewy.

For the Rest of the Salad
1 bunch tatsoi greens, chopped
flowers from u choy
3 TB Genovese basil, finely chopped, lightly drizzled with olive oil




Toss and Enjoy!