Food Storage Salads: Cranberry Walnut Wheat Berry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

When I first started thinking about salads that could be made from food storage ingredients, the only salad I was familiar with was a salad made from Wheat berries that I tried at a food storage fair.  It was terrible.  I was reluctant to even try making one, but the idea of it was such a good one.  Wheat is the basis of most everyone’s food storage, and if I could come up with a good salad made from wheat berries it would be a great addition to my food storage repertoire.  So I tried a few and after a few yucky salads I have come up with one I really like.  I hope you like it to.  By the way this poppy seed dressing is a great recipe on any salad.   

Cranberry Walnut Wheat Berry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Salad Ingredients

1 1/2 cups hard wheat berries

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup freeze dried Celery, re-hydrated

1/3 cup freeze dried onion, re-hydrated

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Poppy Seed Dressing Ingredients

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 cups vegetable oil

2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate

1 ½  tablespoon poppy seeds

Salad Directions:

In a large pot combine the wheat berries and enough water to come 2 inches over the wheat berries. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until tender and plump. Drain and let cool.

Toast the walnuts in a medium dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, walnuts, celery, dried cranberries, celery, and onion and cheese.  Add salad dressing and enjoy.  Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.  

Salad Dressing Directions:

Combine all dressing ingredient in a blender an blend until smooth and creamy. Pour desired amount over salad