Not as pretty as pictured, yet still delicious (Brussels Sprouts, Arugula, wheat berry and chicken salad)

It takes a lot of work to be me on Sundays.  It is my day I am allowed to do laundry (I share facilities with my landlord), the day I have to draft a recap blog post from scratch, the day Game of Thrones comes on (the only show I really watch) and the night I need to prep lunch for the week.  It is hectic. And if I have plans, it is even more hectic.  Today you get a glimpse into the lunch prep portion of my hectic Sundays.

My friend Monica sent me this recipe for a chicken wheatberry salad with shaved brussels sprouts and arugula.  Man that's a mouthful!  She is always sharing healthy recipes with me, and you and I reap the benefits!  This had a bunch of my favorite things in it like caramelized onions, Brussels sprouts, jalepenos, and on and on.  It was really delicious!  I did not use the dressing in the original recipe.  I am not a fan of fish sauce and I had some dressing that was more to my liking on hand.

Try this out.  And try out my method for parceling out salads for the week.  I usually do resuable containers but did not have any clean at the moment and had to be wasteful with plastic bags.  I try to be green as much as I can, so this pained me!  The flavors of this are so good, and it is so healthy! Full recipe to follow!

The lovely cast

It was such a hectic weekend I forgot to defrost!
I cooked my wheatberries in chicken stock to impart more flavor.
Kept my contacts in for this job!
And this one!
My knife skills aren't so bad!
And I didn't lose a finger!
These are a few of my favorite things!
Frozen chicken came out just fine!
Chop it on up!
And more chopping.  I like chopping.
I parceled them all out, chicken, wheatberries, Brussels/onion/jalepeno and herbs.  So easy!
Throw it in a bowl and toss with dressing!  Voila!
Chicken and wheat berry salad with Arugula and Brussels Sprouts (Adapted from Domesticate Me)

Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1 pound cooked chopped or shredded chicken (I used thighs)
2 cups baby arugula
1 cup shredded Brussels sprouts
1 packed cup cilantro leaves, chopped
¼ packed cup mint leaves, chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced into thin strips

I used Bolthouse Farms Salsa Verde Ranch.  Any ranch or vinaigrette will work well with this salad!

Place the wheat berries and chicken broth in a medium saucepan with a good pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 35-45 minutes until tender. Strain the wheat berries and let them cool to room temperature.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and a pinch of salt, and cook for about 5-8 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. Add the shredded chicken and toss to coat. Add the cooled wheatberries and onions and toss again. Add the arugula, Brussels sprouts, cilantro, mint, green onions, and jalapeños, and toss one more time. Taste and season with a little extra salt (if necessary) and plenty of fresh ground pepper.  Serve salad at room temperature or chilled.

Happy Cooking!

Missy

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