Summer Spelt Salad with Cilantro Dressing
Updated Apr. 29th, 2024
Nothing shouts the freshness of summer like cilantro and spelt berries – even if they are of the wheat variety. With a new salad to add to your ever-growing list, we are willing to bet with the nutty taste, and its fresh, crunchiness this one will go straight to the top! We love the idea that this makes a wholesome lunch, or a great side dish to any summer BBQ meal you may have planned. Plus, who can argue with a salad that does half the prepping work while you’re sleeping!
- Dairy Free
- Corn Free
- Egg Free
- Vegetarian
Ingredients:
| cilantro salad dressing: | ||
|---|---|---|
| ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce | 2 clove garlic | 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
| ½ cup fresh cilantro | ½ teaspoon dijon mustard | zest of 1 lime |
| ¼ cup lime juice | ¼ teaspoon himalayan rock salt | pinch white stevia powder |
| 3 tablespoon olive oil | ¼ teaspoon ground cumin |
| spelt berry salad: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup spelt berries, cooked (see below) | 4 green onions, diced | ¼ cup red onion, diced small |
| ½teaspoon vegetable broth | ½ english cucumber | ¼ cup pumpkin seeds |
| ½ cup dried green lentils | 1 red pepper | 1 avocado, sliced for garnish |
| ½ cup cilantro | 2 carrots, diced |
Directions
Directions Note – this recipe calls for preparation overnight, so make sure to give yourself plenty of time!
Cooking Spelt Berries: Fill a glass container (preferably with a sealed lid) with water and add in your spelt berries and place in fridge and leave overnight to soak. When you’re ready to cook, drain the excess water and place in a pot with your vegetable broth and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then reduce your heat to low and simmer with a lid on for 35-45 minutes. You’ll notice it is finished when your spelt berries are soft, but still a bit chewy in texture. Remove any water left and set in the fridge to cool. Cooking Lentils: Again, in a separate glass bowl, fill with water and add in the lentils. Cover with a lid or saran wrap and place in the fridge overnight. Drain and rinse when ready for use, however with this ingredient you will only cook with 1 cup of water – bringing it to a boil. For an added taste, season the water with salt. After its boiled, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook with the lid on for another 15-20 minutes. Remove any extra water, and set lentils in the fridge to cool.
Dressing: This is the easy part! Add all of the ingredients into a blender and or using a bowl and a whisk, mix until everything is well incorporated.
Final Step: Bring your lentils and your spelt berries together in a large bowl. Add in the remaining fresh salad ingredients, and toss with the dressing. Serve cold.
Make It This Way
To make this dish refined-sugar free, replace your stevia with some honey. It has a lower glycemic reading and will not provide blood sugar spikes like white sugar.
If you’re not a fan of the nutty taste of spelt berries, try swapping it out for quinoa instead.
Try This
Serve with some fresh avocado slices to bring in some creamy textures to the dish. Eat for lunch, or as a side dish. It makes the perfect pairing to any BBQ or family reunion!
Summer Spelt Salad with Cilantro Dressing looks like a delicious recipe. I personally love the taste of cilantro and find it very fresh and summery so I love recipes that incorporate these things. Salad dressings can really elevate the salad. I love how this recipe incorporates spelt berries and lentils! They had tons of nutritional benefits, add to the texture, as well as help you feel more full for longer which is personally one of my favourite kinds of salads because it is a full meal with lots of health benefits that you feel great after eating! I would recommend!
Hello, OH,
Cilantro is most definitely a love it or hate it food item, glad to hear you like how fresh it tastes. Indeed, changing the salad dressing can transform the same salad base. Check out this vegan bacon salad dressing from this recipe:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/healthy-recipes/kale-chips-with-vegan-bacon-dressing/