Greens N’ Grains 🥗

How to kind of incorporate croutons without using bread? 🙋🏼‍♀️cook some healthy grains and give them a quick sauté to crisp them up. This can def be a vegan main course, or a hearty salad alongside any protein.  It’s two sides in one, combining vegetables and a starch.  And it’s filling, so you really don’t need anything else on the side if it’s just a couple of you (I like more options if there’s more people).

Flash frying the wheat berries here after the regular cooking process was fun; it felt like a cute little culinary secret.  I swapped white truffle oil for my usual olive oil for the vinaigrette for added depth of flavor, and because I had this lovely bottle of truffle oil from a trip to Italy that I’ve been waiting to use.  Truffle oil is expensive though, so no need to go that route.  Standard high quality olive oil always works.  I also used fresh green spring peas, which I’ve been wanting to use as the one featured veggie.  Using less ingredients feels so clean and  uncomplicated, how summer should feel.  I happened upon these dried chickpeas in the market, and knew they’d add the perfect dose of salted crunch.  It’s gratifying to make a complete meal out of just several key things. Quality over quantity always.     

Ingredients:

1 cup of wheat berries or Farro prepared according to package directions

Half a pound of fresh spring peas

Mixed leafy Baby romaine lettuce

A large handful of dried, salted chickpeas.

Dressing:

Quarter cup of fresh lemon juice

Quarter cup of white truffle oil

At least three tbsp balsamic vinegar adding more to taste if needed/desired

Half a tsp salt and a quarter tsp pepper

After cooking and cooling the grains, sauté them in a large pan with olive oil until they begin to crisp but not harden.  Add half the dressing to the warm grains so they can absorb the flavor.  Let sit 20 minutes.  Toss with peas, romaine, and rest of dressing.  Add dried chickpeas right before serving.  The grains can be made the day before and brought to room temperature before combining.  If using truffle oil, note that it’s a strong flavor.  The lemon juice and balsamic will temper it.  Enjoy!!