With the best of fall veggies, this wheat berry salad with brussels sprouts & sweet potatoes is finished with walnuts, dried cranberries and lemon maple vinaigrette.
I’m not hosting Thanksgiving, but I am bringing a side and dessert to our family dinner.
Even though the meal isn’t at my house, I still make a big deal about what I will be contributing to the holiday spread.
Hands down, Thanksgiving is my favorite food holiday because it’s a special meal that is celebrated by everyone in the country.
And I love how different regions and cultures put their own spin on it to personalize the dinner.
Yesterday I was trying to come up with ideas for sides. There was a lot of Googling and list making involved in this effort.
Even though there won’t be a bird hogging my oven space, I wanted something that didn’t require much roasting time and that I could serve at room temperature.
Of course orchestrating such an elaborate meal and serving everything warm or hot would be nothing short of a miracle.
You’re bound to be disappointed, so I don’t recommend it. Perfect timing shouldn’t be the focus of your efforts.
I recommend grain salads because they are great at room temperature.
This side with wheat berry berries and roasted brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes is one of my favorites.
First I make the wheat berries on the stovetop.
At the same time, I roast the brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes on the same sheet pan. I had tossed them with olive oil, salt and pepper.
To Thanksgiving-ify this grain bowl, I fold in walnuts and dried cranberries.
The veggies do add a lot of flavor, but the wheat berries need a little something else. That’s why I whisk together lemon maple vinaigrette and stir it into the grains and vegetables.
For all the planners out there, you can make the chewy wheat berries and vinaigrette up to 2 days in advance.
It’s better to roast the veggies the day you plan to serve them. Then all you have to do is combine everything in a big bowl before serving.
This side could not be easier!
PrintWith the best of fall veggies, this wheat berry salad with brussels sprouts & sweet potatoes is finished with walnuts, dried cranberries and lemon maple vinaigrette.
The wheat berries and vinaigrette can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before combining with the other ingredients.
This sounds delicious but I’m not a fan wheat berries. Can you suggest a replacement for those?
You could use any grain like barley, pearl couscous or even brown rice.