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This healthful and festive salad featuring roasted chestnuts, a seasonal favorite, makes a great addition to your holiday dinner. Add the wonderfully rich flavor of chestnuts by either roasting your own or picking up a jar of roasted ones in our stores. Wheat berries offer a delightfully chewy, satisfying texture. A simple mixture of apple cider vinegar and tamari contributes a balance of tanginess and saltiness, while raisins and carrots add gentle sweetness. The fresh, bright flavor of mint provides the finishing touch. All in all, this is a delightful combination of flavors that deserves a place on your holiday table. And better yet, this salad can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature, so it’s a perfect choice for entertaining. Other than remembering to plan ahead and allow time for soaking the wheat berries, it’s a very simple recipe. Here’s what you do:

1. Soak. This is as easy as it sounds, simply soak the wheat berries in plenty of cold water for 8 hours or overnight.
2. Cook the wheat berries. Drain them, then put in a pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until wheat berries are tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Drain and cool.
3. Combine cooled wheat berries with the rest of the ingredients: apple cider vinegar, reduced-sodium tamari, chestnuts, carrots, raisins (or substitute fresh grapes if you like) and fresh mint.

You’ll find the complete recipe, including specific measurements, on the Chestnut and Wheat Berry salad recipe page. What are some of your favorite dishes featuring whole grains and holiday flavors?