Spiced Wheat Berry Pilaf

Pilaf is a Middle Eastern dish normally made of rice.  Nutty-flavored cooked wheat berries replace rice in this version.  And it's a big win in the pantry-friendly department.  All of the ingredients store well in the pantry.

The spices in this dish definitely have a Middle Eastern flair, and there are chopped pistachios and dried apricots, too.  Although the flavor is quite different from what we are normally used to, my family liked this dish. 

I think it's great served with chicken.  I serve it with grilled chicken breasts, but the pantry-friendly version of this idea would be rehydrating some freeze-dried chicken and stirring it right in! 

Remember when I told you about the benefits of wheat berries?  They store really well (like, for decades), and they're very nutritious.  Since then, I've been exploring a variety of wheat recipes, and I've found some good ones, such as Overnight Cracked Wheat Cereal with Mix-Ins, Crunchy Wheat Snacks, and the Italian Vegetable Wheat Berry Bowl.  

I think this one is the most unique and interesting of the bunch!

SPICED WHEAT BERRY PILAF

PREP TIME:  50-55 minutes
COOK TIME:  about 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 c. wheat berries
  • 3 c. water
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 c. finely chopped apricots
  • 1/2 c. roughly chopped pistachios, shelled
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. mint flakes
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Place wheat berries and water in a medium pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Boil 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 45 minutes.  Drain off excess water.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 3 minutes.  Stir in cooked wheat, apricots, pistachios, cinnamon, cumin, mint flakes, garlic salt, and lemon juice.  Heat through.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

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