Radish and Oat Berry Summer Salad

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup whole oat berries (or sub any whole grain: einkorn, farro, wheat berries)
• 1 bunch asparagus (or one medium cucumber if asparagus is no longer in season)
• 2 bunches radishes (about 2 cups chopped)
• 1 cup fresh herbs, loosely chopped (dill, mint, basil or parsley)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, cooked and drained
• 4 oz. feta, cubed or crumbled

For the Dressing:

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons (¼ cup)
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. 1
   Prepare the whole grain: Whole grain berries are cooked like pasta. I like to soak my grains overnight because it reduces the cooking time and increases digestibility, but this is optional. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Rinse and drain the whole grain (whether you soaked it overnight or not) and add it to the boiling water. Cook until grains are tender but not mushy, ideally they should have a nice chew to them, but no crunch. It will take about 30 to 45 minutes if you soaked the grain overnight, and around an hour if you didn’t soak it. Check and taste it often. Once it’s done, drain the grains and rinse them well in cold water. Allow the water to drain completely before using the grains.
2. 2
   Prepare the vegetables: Steam the asparagus lightly for about 2 minutes and then rinse under cold water. Chop into medium pieces. Slice the radishes thinly. In a large bowl, combine the chopped asparagus, sliced radishes, cooked and drained corn kernels, chopped herbs, and the cooked grains.
3. 3
   Prepare the vinaigrette and assemble: Mix all the vinaigrette ingredients into a lidded jar. Close tightly and shake well. Pour half the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and taste. Add the remaining vinaigrette if it’s needed. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust as needed. Once all the flavors are just the way you like them, top the salad with the crumbled feta and it’s ready to serve!