Curried Waldorf Wheatberry Salad

I took a little creative license in adding "Waldorf" to the title. There is no lettuce in this salad nor is there mayonnaise or grapes but I figured the celery, apples, dried cherries and nuts were enough to make it Waldorf-y. My love of wheat berries has already been professed many times on this blog- I love the great nutty and chewy texture of them, how they don't get soggy no matter how long they sit in the fridge and how they are a great blank canvas for lots of different flavors. I went with curry this time and the curry and fruit combination is great here. I added chickpeas for bulk and because I love them and they are neutral enough to be thrown into almost anything, some celery for crunch and toasted pecans for flavor, crunch and texture. Served room temperature this would make a great side dish or add some cubed chicken an it would be a wonderful main dish salad. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups Wheat berries
1 can chickpeas (15oz or about 400 grams) drained and rinsed
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
5 scallions, sliced thin
1/2 cup dried cherries (substitute cranberries if needed)
2 green apples, diced
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

For the dressing:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp turmeric
salt and pepper to taste


Place the wheat berries in a pot and fill the pot with enough water to cover them by a few inches. Bring to a boil and cook the wheat until tender, about 40 minutes then drain well. While the wheat is still warm, whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the berries allowing the dressing to absorb into the wheat. Once the berries have cooled add in the chickpeas, celery, scallions, cherries, apples and pecans and mix well.