I make a lot of savoury and sweet recipes, but one of my all-time favourite things to make is a high-protein & high-fibre salad packed with veggies, grains, beans, and herbs.
To me, there is nothing more satisfying than taking simple ingredients and turning them into a drool-worthy dish that will keep me full for hours.
I know I have a great recipe when I am excited about eating it the next day, and the next day, and the next day…and when I have to hide the salad from myself in the back of the fridge!
If you’ve never had to hide a salad from yourself before, I encourage you to try some of these recipes. 
Here are some of my favourite high-protein salads:
Carrot Raisin Spelt Berry Salad with Cumin and Cilantro
Cinnamon Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad
Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Warm Salad
Energizing Protein Power Salad
and last but not least, my very favourite salad, the Back on Track Wheatberry and Bean Salad!
The Back on Track salad is probably the most popular salad recipe on the blog, and for good reason because it’s addicting and makes you feel so good when you eat it.
I was first introduced to this lovely salad this past Christmas 2010. My Mother-in-Law, Margaret, found this vegan recipe and made it for me so I would have something to look forward to for my Christmas dinner.
It was so thoughtful of her!
Well, it turned out that it wasn’t just me who gobbled up this salad; every person at our table just raved about it! Between mouthfuls, we could not stop talking about how great this salad was and I knew I would be making it ASAP.
I decided to make a spin-off of this salad and see if I could come up with another delicious flavour…
It got a bit wild!
I made a Cilantro lime dressing and I changed up the veggies. I wasn’t positive that it was going to work, but it turned out better than I could have imagined.
Oh She Glows
Back On Track II Cilantro Lime Spelt Berry Salad
Adapted from Back on Track Wheatberry and Bean Salad which was adapted from Alive Magazine.
Yield: 7.5-8 cups
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry speltberries (or wheatberries)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled & diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced (yield ~1 cup)
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 orange pepper (or red/yellow), diced
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 3 green onions, diced
- 2 cups/500 ml cooked black beans
Dressing Ingredients:* See note below
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 tbsp minced cilantro (1 cup whole Cilantro, with large stems removed)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (~1.5 limes) + 1/2 tsp zest
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
- 3/4-1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste + ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, soak the berries overnight in cold water (optional- I skipped this step this time). The next day, drain the berries and place in a medium sized pot, covered in 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 45 minutes. Drain and cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the diced vegetables (cucumber, carrot, onion, red pepper, tomato, green onions). Add in cooked beans and drained cooked berries and stir.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, minced cilantro, balsamic vinegar, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, salt and pepper). Add the dressing and stir well. Now season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired. Yield: 7.5-8 cups. Will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Note: next time, I might double the dressing.
Here are the changes I made:
1) I used Cilantro instead of Parsley
2) Lime instead of lemon
3) Added ground cumin, and removed the mustard and Tamari
4) Added 1/2 red onion
5) Added diced carrot & celery (but I did not like the celery in this so I did not put it in the recipe)
6) I used Spelt berries instead of Wheat berries
7) I changed up how the dressing was made- Instead of mixing in the garlic and herbs into the vegetables, I mixed them in the dressing, as shown here:
This dressing turned out incredible! It is smooth and fresh, with a tangy kick. As soon as I tasted the dressing, I knew it was going to work.
My secret for creating a new dressing is to add each ingredient very slowly and keep tasting as you go. Taste, adjust, taste, adjust, etc.
Mix everything together.
I think I like this version better than the first version! I totally had to hide it from myself in the back of the fridge… It would be amazing to use as a burrito filler complete with fresh guacamole and salsa.
Now go on, and try a high-protein salad…you’ll be hooked!
{ 96 comments… read them below or add one }
Love all the vivid colors in this salad! Simply gorgeous! I can almost fee the nutrients and antioxidents! Ahhhh.
These salads look amazing! The pictures are gorgeous – I can practically smell the cilantro through my laptop
I am definitely going to try this one. Wasn’t a big fan of wheat berries, but I want to give them a second change in a salad like this with all the other crunchy ingredients & flavors!
Thanks!
I can’t wait to try your newest version of the Berry Salad. Your photos are amazing
Wow… that sounds like my cuppa tea!!
And it’s SO beautiful too!!
Thanks for your fabulous recipes!!
I’m always so inspired!
I love the original salad, so I’m excited to try this one. Actually, last night I made my stand-by salad dressing with a kick… Cilantro Lime! And then I made Cilantro hummus. Cilantro, cilantro! yum.
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haha I love that you say “you got a little wild!”
looks delish its great to have a new filling salad recipe!
I’m starting to explore more salads like these as lunch options…even though I’m not fully vegan I am trying to incorporate more dairy-free meals instead of grabbing a slice of cheese pizza. My body just feels more energized on dishes like this one. And of course, anything with cilantro can lure me away from pizza!
These salads are so “Spring-ee”! I want to do a taste testing! I love anything with sweet potatos so I’m probably going to try those recipes first! So many options!
No one has ever made me regret a slight allergy to cilantro like you do, Angela! I know it wouldn’t taste exactly the same, but I wonder if I could make the same changes without subbing the cilantro for the parsley and have it come out ok…. or do you have any other recommendations for a possible herb that could work? I can take cilantro in small doses, but I have a feeling 5 tablespoons would have me looking like Lisa Rinna…and not in a good way!
This has got me very very excited!!!!
You always have the most beatiful pictures of all the blogs I read!
These all look delicious! I’ve never really tried grainy salads, but I think I have some wheatberries in the pantry, I’ll have to try that this week.
This looks awesome. I love cilantro. I wonder how easy it is to grow….? Might be a good addition to the garden. I may try this with a few modifications, but it sounds divine just the way it is too.
I am a huge fan of your original wheat berry salad (my kids even liked it!) and as soon as I saw the tweet come out for this cilantro lime version I ran to my computer to get the recipe to make it ASAP! Cilantro is my absolute fave! I could sit and eat it by the palm-full! And lime with it…..DIVINE!
I absolutely LOVE cilantro, in fact, when I made your Back On Track Wheatberry Salad I subbed the parsley for cilantro! You have officially got me hooked on wheatberries (and chia seeds, and cacao nibs and overnight oats!), thank you for another amazing sounding recipe!!
Oh yes, I’m favoriting this post- I LOVEEE ‘grainy’ salads! they are definitely nature’s super meals!
You’ve convinced me!
cilantro makes everything better!!! I add it to salsa all the time to give it an extra kick!
All of these recipes look GOOD! I have sweet potatoes that I’ve been trying to find something different to do with. Perfect timing!
Hi Angela,
This salad looks so yummy and perfect for spring and summer! I was wondering if the wheat berries are sold in the organic section of the local Superstore/ Loblaws?
I live in Milton which has the great Canadian Super Store, so I’m hoping I will be able it find there?
Your salads are stunning and SO creative. Perfect for spring/summer. Can’t wait to try them out!
wow this salad looks so good! So appropriate for spring!
Oooohweee! Just reading the ingredients for the zippy dressing made my mouth water! That sounds right up my alley. Your blog is very much in tune with my tastebuds.
I made the Summer Farro Salad from Food and Wine magazine last year. I can’t wait to make it again, it is my favorite grain salad! http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/summer-farro-salad
Think I’ll give your sweet potato & chickpea salad a go. Followed by the carrot, raisin & spelt berry salad with cumin & cilantro (switching quinoa for spelt). They both look delicious and should feed me for multiple lunches.
I have been looking for the Food for Life brown rice tortilla wraps everywhere: Independent, Loblaws, Canada’s Superstore and Metro. Can’t find them on the shelves (tried bakery and ethnic aisles) and the staff doesn’t seem to know what I’m talking about. What store did you find them at? Where were they in the store?
Thanks!
All of your salads look so yummy!
Can’t wait to try some of them out for a light but filling summer lunch! 
I am going RIGHT now to make it
This looks great! I so appreciate these salad recipes Angela, they’re perfect for brown-bagging it. How did it keep in the fridge? (Freshness-wise, not how well did you hide it;))
Ps. I usually use google reader, but I ALWAYS read your blog in its original format. It’s just so beautiful!
I love the wheat berry salad! Sooo good + light and energizing. My fav lunch faire!
is it crazy that I never measure ingredients for salad dressing and often serve it to guests never having tasted it?
I may be a bad host
If I invite you over to dinner one night, I promise I’ll taste the dressing first hahaha
It’s so vibrant! I really want to try this. Cilantro adds a kick to anything, I love it.
http://goldhearted.etsy.com
I’m a huuuuuge fan of your salads!
Gosh gosh, so inspiring!
Looks perfect for warmer weather! Still freezing where I am though
I never used to like salads, but these look amazing.
Can’t wait to try them.
Your pictures are beautiful.
Amazing, amazing recipes! All healthy and perfect for Spring
What a great variation of the original! It’s amazing how filling, versatile, and delicious salads can be when you’re willing to play around with them!
I love all things cilantro lime! This salad looks so good (I def feel like I say that a lot), but it’s true
The colors, textures & ingredient list are all right on target with this recipe Ange. …and such beautiful photos! I need to find some spelt berries… stat!
I DLed a trial version of LR3 and am really loving it!! I know that you, Averie & Kath use it … so I just had to try. All three of you have such beautiful pictures. It’s very addicting and time consuming, but SO fun & rewarding.
Looks fabulous!! And I love how beautiful it is. It makes me feel like I’m getting a TON of nutrients when my meals and colorful and pretty
I am hooked based on the photos alone!
Looks like the perfect dish to me and so vibrant!
This looks great! I just made a glorious wheat berry salad with kohlrabi, apple and sunflower seeds in a citrus vinaigrette. Love the cilantro addition here and lots of veggies!
This was my super yummy salad: http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/wheat-berry-salad-with-kohlrabi-apples-sunflower-seeds/