Wheat Berry Salad with Kalamata Olives and Feta Cheese
I’m not a big fan of making New Year’s resolutions. All my resolutions such as losing weight and exercising more, historically have been destined for defeat. So, since I despise failure, I don’t do resolutions anymore. Nope, none, nada… I look at it this way. I make New Year’s expectations. Expectations for me are doable and achievable. This year I expect to take smaller steps to improving my life and health. I’m certainly not a perfect person but when I expect something out of myself, I do it.
One of the first things that Bruce and I did for the New Year was to take a long walk along Bear Creek here in the Rogue Valley. Bear Creek is home to many species of birds, aquatic mammals and fish. During the spring and fall months you may see large salmon or steelhead swimming up the creek on their way to their spawning grounds. In the winter, the water in the creek is too turbid from the rain and snow to see much at all. However, it is a great time to go birding. So, I grabbed my camera and out the door we went.
A great egret hunting for fish in the marshy area near the creek.
A pair of mallard ducks on a log. This is my favorite picture of the day. The brightly colored drake is on the left and the plain colored hen is on the right. It won’t be long before they start nesting.
A closeup of a drake Mallard duck. Notice the beautiful blue wing bar and bright orange legs?
When we got back home from our walk along the creek, I decided to make a bright and flavorful Wheat Berry Salad. My Wheat Berry Salad is simple to make and tastes delicious! It’s made with tasty little wheat berries, red bell pepper, Kalamata olives, green onions, parsley, feta cheese and my favorite red wine vinaigrette. In just a matter of hours, I’m already living up to my expectations. A lovely walk and a healthful salad. That was easy. Enjoy! Tessa
Ingredients:
- 3 cups cooked wheat berries (1 cup dried = 3 cups cooked)
- 1/2 cup red bell (chopped)
- 1/2 cup red wine vinaigrette (click on link for recipe)
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives (pitted and chopped)
- 1/4 cup green onions (chopped)
- 1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
- 4- 6 cups lettuce, watercress or your favorite leafy greens
Mix all ingredients (except lettuce or watercress) in a medium sized bowl adding the feta cheese last… Taste and correct your seasonings. Chill and serve on a bed of lettuce, watercress or other leafy greens. Garnish with additional feta crumbles and chopped parsley. Makes 6 servings.
Now you have me thinking about your salad with smoked duck ;-)
Me too… Smoked duck sounds awesome!
I have to admit that I also do not make any resolutions, for similar reasons hihihihi. I usually end up with breaking all of them during the first week of new year :-) Expectations are better solution. I have to try them now :-) And I have to admit that wheat berry salad looks not only delicious but healthy. yum, yum :-D
Hi Joanna! I’m terrible with resolutions… It’s year number two on expectations and so far so good.
Lol, I gave up as well on that New Year resolution thing. I guess everyones resolution this year is the classic loose weight :)
I’m thinking that probably the most popular resolution among food bloggers is losing weight :).
I have never had wheat salad and it definitely sounds and looks very interesting!
Thank you Purabi!
Your pictures are beautiful – the salad and the pictures of Bear creek! I’ve never made wheat berries but your recipe and picture definitely have me wanting to make them and this salad. Delicious!
Hi MJ! Thank you! I’m now a fan of wheat berries. I look forward to experimenting more with this ingredient.
i have never tried wheatberry. will have to give it a go at some point. happy new year, tessa xx
Thank you Megan! I hope that you will try wheat berries. I think that you would like them. Happy New Year to you too!
Lovely salad, Tessa. I have never had wheat berries in a salad, but they look very appetising.
Thank you Sissi! The other way I had wheat berries was in chili. I look forward to experimenting with this ingredient!
Wow, the photos of the birds are so wonderful, I can’t stop staring at them. Your salad looks very healthy and great for this time of the year when we all are trying hard to eat healthier.
Thank you! I really enjoy learning how to photograph birds. They’re tough to photograph for unlike food, they are constantly on the move. And, as for the salad, I’m going to figure out other ways to incorporate the wheat berries in other dishes. It’s an interesting ingredient.