I deemed that this week is officially my Get Back On Track Week!
Over the past few weeks, my eating, exercise, and home life/work routines have been all over the place.
Wait, who am I kidding, my life has been all over the place since September actually!
My goal for the next few days is to get organized and get back on track, hopefully achieving a nice balance once again. I absolutely love the last week of the year to get organized for the new year ahead. This week, I will also be talking about my goals for 2011 and I will be going over last year’s goals to see how I did.
Many of you expressed interest in the salad that my mother-in-law made, so I thought today would be a great time to do a recipe post on a healthy salad that makes for a great ‘getting back on track’ dish! I am just in love with this salad. It is in my Top 5 all-time favourite salads for sure.
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Back On Track Wheat Berry and Bean Salad
Adapted from Alive Magazine.
Yield: 7.5-8 cups
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry wheat berries, cooked and drained
- 2 cups/500 ml cooked navy beans (I was out so I used chickpeas!)
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup fresh parsley, diced with large stems removed
- 4 green onions, diced
- Kosher salt + pepper, to taste
Dressing Ingredients:
- 2-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste (I used 2 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp hot mustard (I used regular)
- 1 tbsp Tamari
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Directions: In a medium bowl, soak the wheat berries overnight in cold water. The next day, drain the wheat 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 1 hour. Drain and cool.
In a large bowl, mix together the diced vegetables (cucumber, red pepper, tomato, minced garlic, parsley, green onions). Add in cooked and drained navy beans (or other bean of choice) and stir.
In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, Tamari, fresh lemon juice). Set aside.
When the wheat berries are ready, drain and rinse and then stir into the salad. Add the dressing just before serving and stir well. Now season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.
Yield: 7.5-8 cups.
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Gather up the troops and the wheat berries that you soaked overnight! Place the wheat berries in a medium sized pot covered with 3 inches of water and simmer on medium for 1 hour.
While the wheat berries are cooking, dice your little heart out.
You want the veggies diced very small.
Stir the veggies together in a large bowl and set aside.
Now make your dressing with Tamari, EVOO, balsamic vinegar, hot mustard (I didn’t have any), and fresh lemon juice.
I decided to try reducing the oil in this recipe by half and it turned out amazing! I actually think I liked the dressing better with 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil vs. 4 tbsp. It really made the balsamic vinegar pop.
Whisk.
I realized that I didn’t have any navy beans after all, so I decided to use chickpeas instead.
After 1 hour of simmering, I drained and rinsed the wheat berries.
Add them in and stir well.
Add dressing and mix again.
Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Serve!
One of my favourite salads of all time. It has so many amazing flavours and textures and it is high in protein and fibre too! I think this was my first time trying wheat berries too. They add such a great texture to salads. I will definitely be buying more in the future!
It makes about 8 cups worth. Enough to fuel the week ahead.
Now that the holidays are drawing to a close, are you thinking about getting back on track or re-organizing your life in some way?
That salad has beautiful colors and textures. I definitely think it was named appropriately!
I love that type of salad! I meant to grab wheatberries the last time I was at Whole Foods and I forgot. Next time!
I’m definitely starting to think about both short-term and long-term goals for the next year. I need to get my exercise routine back on track!
I have my goals already written out for 2011. I am so ready to get my life organized and back on track. I am doing a juice feast(fast) beginning the first of the year, I am not sure how long it will last. I love the look of the salad, I can’t wait to try it. Once I am done with my feast/fast I wil be trying the salad! I am definitely getting my running back on track! My wonderful DH got me a garmin watch for Christmas, and I can’t wait to use it!! Hopefully i will get my butt out of bed tomorrow morning and run!! Thanks for the great posts!
That salad look great! Those are my favorite meals because it has everything you want in one pot. I’m definitely starting to get back on track (eating- and exercise-wise), but there are still some christmas baked goods in the kitchen that I keep sneaking bites of, lol. Baby steps! My workout routine is back in full gear, so I feel great about that!
This salad looks so good! It’s on my grocery list and I’m going to send this to my mom… she will LOVE it :)
thank you for posting this! :) i can’t wait to try it
This is my “back on track” week too! And last night I made a batch of wheat berries so this recipe came at the perfect time.
i definitely need to get back on track and am using this week to catch up on life!
I can NOT wait to make this! It looks so delicious and fresh! Thank you so much for sharing it :)
I love this salad! I had something similar while visiting an organic WOOF farm last year in Tuscany, but they made theirs with spelt berries – sooo yummy!
I’m getting back on track this week with organization, fitness and nutrition too. I’m starting out with a Green Smoothie Challenge (www.thegreensmoothiechallenge.com). Nothing but green monsters and fresh veggies for 10 days! On day 2 and so far feeling great :)
This looks delicious! I usually make a wheatberry salad with red onions, feta, cucs, parsley, basil, and a lemon vinagrette, and have been looking for other combinations to try!
Yum, that sounds delicious Amanda!
I definitely need a back on track week. I planned to start today and was sidetracked by some christmas cookies left on the secretaries’ desks…
lol i read that quickly and i thought you said u were attacked by xmas cookies! LOL!! I know the feeling…
Looks delish!
I’ve always wondered if you dice your veggies yourself or if you have one of those nifty little dicers? I hate dicing garlic and sometimes think about buying one of those infomercial type devices ;) You always have pretty looking diced veggies!
hehe tks! I dice them myself :)
This salad looks AMAZING!!!! I just found your blog/website yesterday through a fitness pal of mine. Love all of the great information already. I went through a life reorganization (at least in terms of fitness and nutrition) in the beginning of October. The holiday were definitely a little crazy to say the least so I am re-examining my goals and getting back on track for sure this week. Looking forward to starting a new year in a great frame of mind!
This looks like my kind of salad! I have never tried wheat berries but I think it might be time to give them a try. And yes, it’s definitely getting back on track week over here,too.
I love the look of that salad. I bet it was amazing! I would love to have something like this around the house for quick lunches. It also beats the cookies I usually end up having too many of.
That salad looks amazing! I always make salads to get back on track, too!
That salad looks awesome, so thanks for the recipe. I love wheat berries, but I’ve never made them myself. It seems easy enough.
Gorgeous! So colorful and healthy-looking!
Thank you thank you for this recipe! I needed a school-lunch idea and this seems perfect to pack up! :)
We’re totally speaking the same language, you and I… getting my life back on track (health wise and career wise) has been on my mind since returning home from my Christmas holiday. Time to get serious and ready for the new year ahead… No pressure of course ;) That salad looks like lunch for a week!!
Already getting back on track! And I have plans for the New Year… transitioning to vegan.
I have always restricted my diet. I used to balance having bad food with starving myself. I used to cake makeup on to cover the imperfections. I used to squish into smaller sized clothes to say I was wearing a certain size. I hated myself, they way I looked, and the way I felt inside. I have three daughters under the age of 7 and I don’t want them to grow up with these same thoughts. It would break my heart.
I turned 32 and decided it was time for a change.
I stopped eating land animals and fast food in August. I have yet to have had a bout of stomach problems I have battled since high school. Suddenly, fruits and veges became treats rather than a diet plan. I stopped buying soda, and started ordering water. I started drinking more tea and taking vitamins.
A friend introduced me to this blog a couple months ago and it has helped me to continue changing my lifestyle. NO more restricting. That idea of yours was my turning point. I all of a sudden got it. Your struggles were similar to my struggles… and I was reading parts of my life in your words. Truely amazing.
Now I have a GM everyday- I changed my outlook on life- I think about myself positively and pass it forward whenever I can- and workout for fun. I have dropped pant sizes and feel amazing. I collect quoptes for inspiration.
Thank you for sharing your life – your recipes – you are inspiring. My new journey has been amazing and I have never felt better inside or better about my outside.
Thank you Thank you Thank you….
Have a healthy and happy New Year! May it bring you as much joy as you have brought to others…
Love, a happier, healthier, smiling, transitioning vegan, student and full-time mother of three girls… Abby
Abby your story is BEAUTIFUL! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m sure your story will help many women. All the best!
It’s encouraging to hear about your journey! I feel as though it’s only now that I’m into the 30’s that I “get” things — it certainly took a few years to come to those realizations.
Abby, that’s wonderful! You have come so far already in recognizing where you are at right now and in being able to see where you want to go based on where you have been.
Healthy, real food to nourish you while addressing your emotional needs is truly the way forward. We are cheering you on!
Lots of love,
Casey
Hi this salad looks amazing. I wonder what could I use instead of wheat berries?
I have definitely been trying to “get back on track” with my eating and exercise. The holidays just throw everything out of whack! My body has been craving veggies like no one’s business!
the colors in this salad are just awesome!
I love how you said the balsamic dressing just popped! I love balsamic, and yellow mustard, so that dressing looks perfect to me!
Back on track now that the holidays are over? Yes, I just returned home from an extended vacation and am dealing with the re-immersion back into real life process…i.e. dirty laundry, grocery shopping, going to work, you know, fun stuff :)
Hope you have a mellow pre-New Years week, Angela! :)
When a salad is that colorful you know it’s nutritious!
Love this! It looks incredible – the perfect way to start out the new year, right?
Definitely using the week to get back on track – have cleared out the cupboard (live in Manhattan so we only have one!) and have bags ready to donate. Need to get my healthy eating back on track (I’m vegan, but had one too many pizzas over recent weeks, plus seem to be eating brownies for breakfast!) My boyfriend and I are sitting down to make plans change tracks entirely in the next year after reaching the end of this one and realising we both feel very unfulfilled and drained of energy. First step, leave New York… Very excited to see your goals for 2011!
I am going to start doing exactly that once I have my biopsy on the 5th. I have to keep eating gluten until then and so I have still been eating a few treats that I won’t be able to eat soon! Although I have been trying to eat a lot of veggies to fuel my meals.
Day after Christmas always become a time to think about the coming year. A few that I’ve been thinking about:
1. I’m toying with the idea of eating more raw foods this year, and am trying it out this week. 2. I’m also working to develop more simplicity in my meals. There is so little time for cooking for me at this point, that I’m trying to devise some method of cooking Jan-April, that will allow me to use/reuse basic foods throughout the week.
3. Finally, I’d like to create a quiet space each day — probably in the morning.
In 2010, I was able to volunteer/coordinate a couple of charity fundraising events. This was something I had wanted to do for awhile, but never “gotten around to.” I recall repeating/writing this desire/goal throughout the year, and when the opportunities arose, I didn’t hesitate to jump on them! I’m so glad I did. I believe that this strategy of always thinking/projecting/reminding oneself of what you desire enables you to grasp the moments and opportunities that allow you to achieve those goals. So, I intend to use the same strategy in 2011. Giving myself space to dream about what I want always reminds me of my core desires and loves, and helps me when the “choosing gets tough” with priorities on a day-to-day level.
Good luck with your 2011 goals planning — enjoy!
I tried (in October I think) to eat raw foods for 21 days. I made it to 13 days, and only stopped because of a family crisis that took me away from my own kitchen and I was very much just learning the ropes with raw food and how to feel satisfied by it. I would definitely definitely recommend incorporating more raw foods in your diet though, and this will be one of my big changes for 2011 – I felt so so much better for it. Good luck!
good for you! i eat a high raw diet and have many resources on my blog. not saying this to self-promote, just to help you out! good luck!
Thanks — I’ll take a look.
That salad looks wonderful! I could definitely use some of that to get back on track. Too many days in a row of celebrations and delicious, sugar filled food has made me feel kind of blah! It was worth it, but I am definitely looking forward to get some more balance in my life. I will be taking the next few days to get organized and think up some creative new foods to start off the new year right!
Thank you for posting this recipe! I think the salad looks fantastic :)
Where do you buy wheat berries?
Yep, this is my back on track week, though it’s a little rocky so far. Went to bed early with the intention of going to a cycle class at 6 am but only got 2.5 hrs of sleep! Have you ever worked out on such little sleep?
Focusing on getting back into the GM’s, eating healthier, less alcohol and overall fitness. Aiming to do a 10k in July, but first I want to try at least two 5ks before. I am not a fan of running, but I want to prove to myself that I can accomplish it.
Gorgeous salad! Looks delicious. I could definitely use some re-organization in my life right about now, so I think I’ll be doing lots of that this week.
Definitely going to be making these when I get back to my MIchigan!
Definitely getting back on track….and I can’t wait to try that salad!!
I’ve never been the type to make resolutions, but last year I was in a rough place and decided to make some life changes that I could accomplish and stick to. Thus I wrote a list of goals for 2010. I kept a list in a journal, referenced it throughout the year and you know what? I did pretty well! I accomplished 6 out of 8 goals and the person I became while on this adventure is in a much better place then when she started. My 2011 list is pretty long at the moment (due to my excitement at last year’s success) but I’ll cut it back a bit and make it more do-able. Afterall, it’s important to dream big but in managable steps like “Improve my running skills” turned into “Complete the Warrior Dash (please google it). Goal #2 for 2011 is “accpet my body for what it is.” As for the steps to get there . . . that adventure I will have to unfold.
I love your outlook!
Self-acceptance is my #1 goal for 2011 as well :D
love that!
This looks almost exactly like the salad my parents make to bring as their vegan dish when they go to parties – it’s always loved by just about everyone. Their dressing might be slightly different – no olive oil or salt due to their dietary choices – but otherwise it looks about the same. It’s a great dish to make that makes everyone happy.
Awesome, I’m making a book of all the great, healthy recipes I want to try this year and this is definitely going in it! Thanks :D
I want to get back to healthy eating and exercise!
That salad looks delicious! After reading your post, I flipped open my “Eating Well” magazine, and one of the featured ads was for Pompeian olive oil and vinegars. It has a recipe for a black bean, edamame and wheat berry salad, which is very similar to yours! It uses black beans and edamame with the wheat berries, and the dressing has red wine vinegar instead of balsamic.
I just started making my new year’s resolutions for 2011. I use my “my lists” app on my ipod touch to create the list, so what way I can easily refer back to it. One of my goals for 2011 is to be more present and in touch with myself–I find that my mind is always wondering, and I am never truley in the moment. Something I wish to change!
Jen
I have the same feeling after indulging in so many sweets over the past week. I am definitely needing to get back on track. I can’t wait to try this recipe! This salad and my new juicer could be just the thing to jumpstart me back on the healthy eating track!
Hi Sweetie!
Yummy looking salad :-) I’ll definately be trying that out soon. Your blog brings a smile to my face each day….and it’s just inspired me to get off my butt and hit the treadmill! Gotta start somewhere after the christmas break! Thankyouuuuu! :-) x x
Ahh yes “back on track” and “new years resolutions” familiar words this time of year! hehe
Best of luck everyone with theirs, I will be having a few of my own! BIG BIG trip in one month, so i can’t get OFF track, and i plan to join a gym and do fitness classes a couple times a week in 2011
Couple more days and I’ll be joining you on “back on track” week. This salad looks DELICIOUS!!!
I love wheatberries and I love chickpeas. I can not wait to try this salad. Your photos made my mouth water… again.
What a stunning salad! Back on Track is right.
I plan on just slowly incorporating things. No rush!
I <3 Salad! I'm having one for dinner! It just soudns oh so refreshing!
Yes, my 2011 goal is to keep my room clean!
and get my license and get on top of my grades!
Yumm this looks so delicious and fresh! I’m very much in a goal-setting mood right now as well. It’s one thing I love about new years – they motivate me to change things I don’t like and make my life better by improving things. Can’t wait to hear about how you’re going to light up 2011! :)