Recipe Things to do with Sprouts: Sprouted Wheat Berry and Kale Salad
January 30, 2020
Salads aren’t just for summertime. This citrus-flavoured Sprouted Wheat Berry and Kale Salad recipe brings some much-needed sunshine to the cold, dark days, too. The combination of sweet and tender sprouted wheat berries with earthy kale, spiced pecans, and refreshing dressing makes for an energizing meal with substance.
Sprouting wheat berries makes them easier to digest and takes their nutrient dense, whole grain goodness to another level. But the best part? This recipe gives you a fun excuse to let your kids to play with their food. The sprouting process is like a fun science experiment. And even if they haven’t learned to love kale yet, they’ll love getting their hands dirty while helping you making this salad. (Who knows? Maybe the hands-on experience will inspire them to try a few bites!)
Try our Sprouted Wheat Berry and Kale Salad on its own or pair it with a bowl of delicious tomato soup.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 cup sprouted wheat berries (we used One Degree Organic Foods Organic Wheat Kernels)
- 1 bunch kale , washed
- 1 small shallot , finely sliced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes , halved
- ½ cup dried apricots . roughly chopped
- ½ cup smoked soft non-dairy cheese , crumbled
For the Dressing:
- 1 large navel orange , zested and juiced (about ½ cup fresh orange juice)
- ¼ cup olive oil , extra virgin
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt , or to taste
- 1 tsp fresh chives , chopped fine
- 1 tsp fresh parsley , chopped fine
For the Spiced Pecans:
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 ½ Tbsp cane sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt , or to taste
Instructions
For the Sprouted Wheat Berries:
- Soak the dry wheat kernels for 4 – 8 hours, in a mason jar filled with water. Cover the jar with cheesecloth and drain out the water, or transfer soaked kernels to a sprouting tray if you have one.
- Sprout for 2 – 3 days, rinsing wheat kernels at least twice a day with cool water and allowing to drain completely after each rinse.
For the Spiced Pecans:
- Toast the pecans lightly in a dry pan over medium heat. Stir frequently for 4 – 5 minutes until they start to brown. Remove the pecans from the pan and set aside.
- While the pan is still hot, melt the coconut oil and add the sugar and spices until the sugar melts and starts to caramelize.
- Add the toasted pecans to the pan and toss to coat. Taking care not to burn yourself on the hot caramel, transfer the candied pecans to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Allow to cool.
For the Dressing and Salad:
- Combine all the salad dressing ingredients into a bowl, leaving out the olive oil for now. Whisk until the salt dissolves and the mustard, vinegar, and orange juice have blended nicely. Slowly whisk in the oil until well-combined. Set aside.
- Once you’ve rinsed and dried your kale, run your hand along the stem to remove the green leaves from the stalk. Tear the kale leaves into bite-size pieces and add them to a large bowl.
- Add squeeze of orange juice and a pinch of salt to the kale. Using clean hands, massage the kale for roughly 3 minutes to soften the leaves. They should become glossy and slightly reduced in volume.
- Finally, combine all remaining salad ingredients to the bowl with the massaged kale. Drizzle the dressing over the ingredients, toss to coat, and serve.
Try these handy tips!
Save time by preparing the sprouted wheat berries, candied pecans, and salad dressing in advance. You can even prepare them in larger batches to use in other recipes.
- Store the sprouted wheat berries in a covered container and place in the fridge for up to 3 days or keep them for longer in the freezer.
- Spiced pecans can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. -Store the salad dressing in a jar and refrigerate up to a week. Another time-saving option? Skip the whisk and shake all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight lid. And finally, for some family fun in the kitchen, ask the kids for a hand with sprouting the wheat kernels and massaging the kale.
