Breakfast/ Exercise/ Fitness/ Lunch

A New Favorite Berry

Happy Monday, folks. Time to get back in the groove after a fun weekend. I just remembered—my birthday is a month away! Well, it was a month away from yesterday, that is! It falls on a Wednesday this year so I’ll be in Orlando so I guess I’ll really celebrate it on the weekend before or after. Yay! I do love summer….

I like to start my week with a good run so I usually try to get outside every Monday morning early. Today I ran for about 30 minutes and if you can believe it, it was already soooo hot outside and it wasn’t even 8:00 yet! I think it must have already been in the 80’s! I had half a banana with almond butter before I went and when I came back I made some oatmeal with……………

WHEATBERRIES! oh, wheatberries where have you been all my life?! I got this idea from Kath’s blog because her oatmeal always looks so delicious and if she liked the wheatberries I was sure that I would like them as well. Well, I was not disappointed and these will definitely be a regular addition to my oats from now on. I soaked 1/2 cup of them in 1.75 cups of water overnight last night, then I let them simmer this morning while I went on my run. They turned out chewy, nutty and delicious! I used 1/4 cup of them in my oats this morning (I only made 1/3 cup of oats to compensate). What a way to start a Monday! Thanks, Kath! I also added the other half of my banana, soymilk and almond butter….mmmmmmm

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For lunch today I packed something special and different—SBITK’s “chicken salad”! I had time to make this yesterday afternoon and I’m very glad I did because this stuff rocks. I used Lightlife “chicken” strips this time and no celery because I don’t have any. I stuffed some in a whole wheat pita and packed an orange to go along with it. For later, I packed a pear and some cashews to snack on.

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Happy Monday!

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  • hk
    May 12, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    Wheatberries coming right up, I’m making some today, too 🙂 How much water do you simmer them in? and how long?

    have a great monday!!

  • jenna
    May 12, 2008 at 12:30 pm

    you just simmer them in the water they have been soaking in for about 40 minutes!

  • oatmeal
    May 12, 2008 at 12:36 pm

    Ooo yumm–nice creamy oatmeal! Such a great pink color too! I wish I could find wheatberries at the market 🙁

    And that’s a nice and THICK pita you’ve got there! All the pitas I’ve eaten so far are thin and easily broken~

  • erica
    May 12, 2008 at 12:37 pm

    I’ve been looking everywhere for wheatberries! Did you get yours at whole foods, because I haven’t seen them anywhere!

  • Meghan
    May 12, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    Hey Jenna! Wow, that bowl of oats looks mouth watering. I know your life is incredibly hectic, so I just want to thank you for keeping up this blog so wonderfully! As a young woman who is also living on her own, you’ve really inspired me to cook meals for myself, not just eat cereal or frozen meals all the time and wait to eat “real” food until I have someone else to enjoy it with me. Plating meals and actually sitting down to eat them has really made me almost (ALMOST) enjoy the solo dining experience. So, thanks again!

  • Romina
    May 12, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    I’m still on the hunt for wheatberries, they look so creamy and perfect for breakfast!

  • Allyson
    May 12, 2008 at 1:01 pm

    Ok, weird question, where do you get the wheatberries? I looked for them in the bulk section of Whole Foods, but couldn’t find them 🙁

    Happy monday!

  • Gena
    May 12, 2008 at 1:11 pm

    Hi Jenna,

    I made wheatberries this weekend, too, at Kath’s suggestion. Already used them in a salad and can’t wait to put them in oatmeal 🙂

  • jenna
    May 12, 2008 at 1:15 pm

    I found wheatberries in a small local health food store’s bulk bins….I haven’t seen them at whole foods either 🙁 I’m sure you could order them though online…google wheatberries or hard winter wheat?

  • Kath
    May 12, 2008 at 1:35 pm

    Three cheers for wheatberries!!! They are so wonderful, aren’t they!? So glad you liked them 🙂

  • becky
    May 12, 2008 at 1:44 pm

    mmmm … I was just looking at the wheatberry recipe in SBITK (just bought it this weekend – it rocks!) and now will totally make it soon. Sad to hear that they don’t have them at WF though … guess I’ll need to try online! Have a great day, and thanks for keeping up this blog even with the craziness!

  • Kelly
    May 12, 2008 at 2:24 pm

    I love wheat berries. Though I can’t confirm this, I think they may also go by the name ‘whole grain wheat’ because when I first went hunting for them a year ago I couldn’t find anything by the name ‘wheat berries’ and I usually don’t have a problem fiding specialty products. but I did find ‘whole grain wheat’ from Arrowhead Mills at my Whole Foods, which seems to be the same thing (see the link below). I can’t remember what aisle I found it in but I believe it was by the grains (i.e. rice, quinoa) not the flours.

    http://www.arrowheadmills.com/products/product.phpprod_id=402&cat_id=87

    I’m looking forward to experimenting more with it. My directions, like yours, called for simmering it in the soaking liquid but when using it in a savory preparation I actually found it took on more flavor when I discarded the soaking liquid and simmered them in a mixture of veggie stock and saffron instead. Granted you wouldn’t want to do this if you were using them in a sweet dish, but it works really well on the savory end. I’m looking forward to experimenting with them. I’d like to try simmering them in a sweet liquid (like you do with the quinoa in Veganomicon’s stir fry recipe) to see what that adds.

  • Kelly
    May 12, 2008 at 2:26 pm

    http://www.arrowheadmills.com/products/product.php?prod_id=402&cat_id=228
    Hmmm I don’t think that link takes you to the product page, this one should so you have an idea of what to look for before you go to the store.

  • Kelly
    May 12, 2008 at 2:33 pm

    Also (and this is my last comment for today, I promise) Lorna Sass’ “Whole Grains Everyday Everyway” is a fantastic book when it comes to learning more about whole grains and cooking them more often. What I love about this cookbook is that it is far more educational on most. There is a lot of background on each variety of grain including basic cooking instructions, what it pairs well with, and history and background info. This is wonderful for those of us cooks who want to not only make something great, but to also learn in the process. The book also includes quite a breadth of recipes including some with and without meat so there are a lot to try here.

  • VeggieGirl
    May 12, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    Yes, wheatberries ARE fabulous – glad you enjoyed them, and will continue to enjoy them! :0)

    This month will FLY BY and you’re birthday will be here soon enough!! Whoo hoo!!

    Happy Monday!!

  • magpie
    May 12, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    Okay, now I really have to try these wheatberries. Thanks for sharing! I guess I’ll look for them at Trader Joe’s?

  • Kristie
    May 12, 2008 at 3:25 pm

    I’ve been wanting to try wheatberries for a little while now, I keep imagining how wonderful they would be in oatmeal. I really hope I can find them somewhere around here!

  • Heather
    May 12, 2008 at 3:59 pm

    I’m soaking wheatberries as we speak!! Definitely will be adding them to the oatmeal tomorrow… your breakfast looks REALLY good.

  • Becca A
    May 12, 2008 at 4:16 pm

    yay for gemini babies! Mine is on the 4th!

  • Serena
    May 12, 2008 at 4:48 pm

    Hi everyone, happy Monday! My Monday started off with my grapefruit leaking all over my bag, since I just threw it in a gladware container, which after you use over an over, just don’t stay closed properly. Now I love the smell of grapefruit, but not all over my stuff! I need to buy a lunch bag/container. Does anyone have any good recommendations? I’d like to be able to fit a few things in it (sandwich, snacks, fruit, etc.). I have a fridge at work so it doesn’t necessarily have to be insulated, but I’m looking for lightweight, functional, leak-proof, and cute, if possible! Thanks!!

  • Serena
    May 12, 2008 at 4:49 pm

    yikes, lots of typos and bad grammar in my post – anyway, point is, please send suggestions for lunch containers if you have them – I really appreciate it!

  • Caroline
    May 12, 2008 at 5:23 pm

    Guess I’ll have to pick up some wheatberries on my next Whole Foods run. I’ve never tried them, but everyone is making me excited to give them a whirl…

  • Christine
    May 12, 2008 at 8:13 pm

    Wheatberries are the best, I am eating some right now! Last summer I made a wheatberry salad with celery, onion, dried cranberries and a sauce made up of honey and mustard! Refrigerate it until cold and then it is ready to eat! It is soo delicious I ate that salad breakfast, lunch and dinner!

  • Allyson
    May 12, 2008 at 9:20 pm

    Hey Kelly-Thanks so much for the link! I can’t wait to find them and start experimenting! 🙂

    Christine-That recipe sounds amazing