Shiftcon Eco-Wellness Conference in New Orleans and Wheat Berry Salad

Calling All Food Bloggers to NOLA!

Shiftcon Eco-Wellness Conference is coming to New Orleans December 1-3, will I see you there? This conference is for all food bloggers, dieticians and companies who care about health, food, and the environment. Shiftcon couldn’t have chosen a more perfect city to set the conversation on important issues like good stewardship of resources, bringing healthy foods to nutrient-poor areas within a community, and using food as good medicine. I’m excited to attend presentations by agriculturalists, dieticians, and integrative physicians like Dr. Tieraona Low Dog whose book on Medicinal Herbs I’ve recently been devouring.

Use FITBAKETHISDAY code to receive $50 off the price of your ticket! Let me know if you are coming to town, and if you used my code to register, I’ll take you on a walking tour of some of my favorite off-the-grid restaurants and watering holes in the city. You might even get a little sample of my sourdough starter to take home….

To get in the ShiftCon spirit, make this salad and rejuvenate your body with natural greens and whole wheat. It doesn’t get any more whole than a wheat berry.

Wheat Berry Salad

Adapted from Penzeys Spices

Wheat Berry part:

1 cup hard wheat berries (red wheat is best)

2 ½ cups vegetable broth

½ tsp salt

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Dressing:

4 tb lemon juice

2 tb olive oil

1 tb white balsamic vinegar

1 ½ roasted garlic

1 tsp Turkish oregano

1 tsp greek seasoning

Veggies

1 onion, diced

4-5 cups of washed and chopped spinach

1 bunch asparagus, chopped into ½ inch chunks

Rinse the wheat berries, place in saucepan with broth, salt, turmeric, red pepper flakes and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and the cover and cook to desired tenderness, 1-2 hours. You might need to add extra water if all of yours boils off too soon like mine did. Be careful not to scorch the wheat berries. When done, let cool on the counter and then in the fridge, and add 2 tbs of the dressing.

For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together. That’s it! Use a blender if you want it super mixed.

For the veggie, cook down the onions and greens with olive oil in a skillet until greens are wilted and the onions are browned. Set aside to cool, and then also roast the asparagus in more olive oil. Combine the veggies with 2 more tbs of the dressing, and then put on a plate, topped with the wheat berries, or else, cover and transfer to a cool place to serve later. Serve with extra salad dressing if you have a craving for more flavor.