Do you guys know what Wednesday is? Besides hump day, I mean.

It’s Whole Grain Sampling Day. But what does that mean, you ask? Well, it’s the nationwide, annual initiative designed to introduce consumers to the health benefits and great taste of whole grains.

Do you love whole grains as much as we do? I love using them in recipes at home and finding new, fun ways to sneak them into recipes for others, too. I think some people are scared to try them, but after you try a few, you get hooked! That’s how it happened for me, anyway. I love the different flavors and textures you get with whole grains – and they’re great for you! When Oldways and the Whole Grains Council asked me to become a whole grain ambassador, I jumped at the chance. I mean, I pretty much use some kind of whole grain at home every day, so I’m happy to share the whole grain love.

Here are some of my favorites form the past few years:

Quinoa with Zucchini, Blueberries, and Feta

Wheatberry Cranberry Salad

Black Bean, Balsamic, and Feta Wheatberry Salad

But…I think my all time favorite was this one – a wheatberry salad filled with fresh herbs and juicy strawberries. Perfect for spring and summer!

strawberry wheatberry salad

Strawberry Wheatberry Salad
Makes: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups wheatberries, uncooked
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup strawberries, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chives, sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1/4 cup radishes, halved and sliced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp orange zest
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

  1. Put wheatberries, water, and 1 tsp of salt in pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer 30-40 minutes or until the wheatberries are as chewy as you want them.
  2. In large bowl, whisk the olive oil, dijon mustard, orange zest, orange juice, salt, and pepper together.
  3. Add strawberries, chives, basil, mint, and radishes to the dressing mixture and toss to combine.
  4. Once the wheatberries are cooked, let them cool 10 minutes.
  5. Toss the wheatberries with the strawberry and dressing mixture.
  6. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.

strawberry wheatberry

To help celebrate Whole Grains Sampling Day, they sent me a whole grains sampling pack that had all kinds of goodies in it – from chips to cookie mix to rice and crackers and cereal.

IMG_2389

Here’s what comes in the sampling pack – and you can win your own sampling pack, too!

Everything I’ve tried so far has been delicious (especially the cereal and chips!) and I can’t wait to try everything else over the next few weeks.

Want to enter to win your own prize pack?

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me either your favorite whole grain or a whole grain you’d love to try that you haven’t yet.

Also, feel free to join in to the virtual whole grain toast at 12:00 p.m. on Whole Grain Sampling Day (Wednesday – April 3). Use the #SampleWholeGrains hashtag! And make sure to follow @branappetit and @oldways on Twitter while you’re at it!

Disclosure: Oldways and the Whole Grains Council sent me all of the whole grain samples and provided me with the opportunity to hold a giveaway. But as always, all opinions are my own!

75 comments

  1. I currently love quinoa but would love to try farroh out. I haven’t much experience with wheatberries, but I love strawberries in salads, so this would be a good way to explore wheatberries!

  2. Let would like to try quinoa, there have been so many new recipes using it

  3. I love to add wheatberries to salads.

  4. oatmeal – the mixins are endless!

  5. I have been really into quinoa lately. I love how filling it is!

  6. oh man, this is totally making me crave summer :) delicious! my fav grain right now is farro, but it definitely changes from time to time!

  7. I still haven’t tried farro.

  8. so many things i’ve never tried to cook yet – would love to attempt Freekeh

  9. I’m currently digging into quinoa.

  10. I love popcorn but I’m a pain about how it is made so I’ll say oatmeal because its easier

  11. My favorite grain is quinoa, because it’s so versatile, but I’ve been really wanting to try farro. I’ve made wheatberries once, but I’d like to experiment more with them, too.

  12. That salad looks delicious! I am a huge oat bran fan – eat it every morning for breakfast:-)

  13. Some I have not tried but would like to. So far steel cut oats are a favorite

  14. I love quinoa, but I keep hearing about faro and want to try it (I think that is spelled wrong but stupid auto-correct won’t let me type it any other way!)

  15. My favorite whole grain is oats!

  16. I’ve never tried red quinoa. Also would love to try the brown rice triscuits, I had no idea they existed!

  17. I love quinoa but that sunflower seed bread sounds delish!

  18. I really love millet!!

  19. Right now my favorite is quinoa, but I would really like to try einkorn sometime!

  20. I love my daily breakfast of oatmeal!

  21. I haven’t met a grain I don’t like :) One that I’m not sure I’ve tried, but want to is millet. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

  22. I am simple and love slow-cooked steel-cut oats!

  23. I’ve really just recently fell in love with wheat berries and they are the best!

  24. I absolutely love all of Barbara’s Bakery products!

  25. My favorite whole grain is quinoa. Today I have a quinoa salad with roasted golden better, red onion, kale and balsamic vinaigrette for my lunch! I am dying to try freekah – have had a hard time finding it in the stores in Birmingham. DEfinitely going to be trying this strawberry and wheat berry salad- looks delish! I regularly refer readers to the Whole Grains Council website – so thankful for their awesome list of whole grain products!

  26. LOVE wheat berries and LOVE the idea of them with strawberries. So fresh and delish :)

  27. I love Whole Grain!! We’re working more on working it into our diets! I love this Wheatberry Salad! Can’t wait to try it and wheatberry!

  28. I love millet in cookies. It gives a great crunch! I’d love to try cooking with quinoa.

  29. Hope you have recovered from your surgery! Wanted to tell you that I got a jar of FROG jam from Homestead Creamery and it is wonderful!!!
    Anyway, whole grains… Just getting into them. That give-away looks like a lot of great food. Quinoa has always intrigued me. I tried making it once but it came out bitter. You have inspired me to give it another go. I have also never had wheatberries, but that salad looks so tasty. I will have to get some the next time I go to our co-op.

  30. Love wheatberries, in chili, in salads, in …

  31. I have been seaching my area stores for wheatberries.

  32. My favorite whole grain is wheatberries due to their amazing texture! Millet is a close second however because I just think it has wonderful flavor.

  33. Love brown rice. Want to try quinoa.

  34. I am very excited to try Wheatberries! This recipe looks very yummy and strawberries are my absolute FAVE!

  35. Quinoa – I am appalled that I haven’t experimented with this yet! I see so many great dishes that make my mouth water, I’m dying to try them out!! : )

  36. I’d love to try wheatberry!

  37. I love oats — they are my absolute favorite whole grain and the less processed they are, the better. I have never tried wheatberries – but looks delicious and I’d love to try them!

  38. I really want to try farro!

  39. I’d like to try the brown rice Triscuits and learn good recipes for quinoa. I didn’t like it when I tried it in the past.

  40. I haven’t tried Muesli yet but I’m really wanting to!

  41. i love whole grains – barely, oatmeal, quinoa bring them. i have wanted to try and explore additional ones including wheat berries and your recipe looks great for that. thanks.

  42. I love wheatberries: This salad sounds fantastic! (Thank heavens it’s nearly strawberry season…)

  43. I really love wheatberries and luckily got my husband to fall in love with them too :)

  44. I’ve never tried farro before but have always been curious!

  45. I’ve heard so many people rave about quinoa, but I’ve never tried it. I need (and want!) to do that!

  46. I *love* barley. I always add it to my homemade soups, and it’s delicious mixed with veggies as a hot pilaf or cold grain salad.

    Someday I would like to try teff.

  47. I love wheat berries and steel cut oats. These salad looks yummy!

  48. I love Quinoa, you can put just about anything with it.

  49. i want to try flax
    Rod Jackson
    mrsrodjac at hotmail dot com

  50. I love quinoa. Especially Asian-fried style!

  51. I love this, it looks so satisfying :)

  52. I have not tried wheatberries yet and I want to after looking at this recipe!

  53. I’m a big fan of quinoa right now!

  54. I would love to try wheatberries–I love all grains but this is one I’ve never tried and this salad looks awesome!

  55. What an awesome giveaway!!

    I’d love to try the freekeh, sounds so interesting!!

  56. I love quinoa–there’s so many different ways to use it! I have a package of farro on my shelf right now and will be trying that out soon!

  57. I love steel-cut oats. I make it savory or sweet, doesn’t matter love it any way :)

  58. I would love to try wheatberry!

  59. I absolutely love Quinoa! My favorite.

  60. I have heard so many good things about wheat berry and would like to try it! Plus, the wheatberry in your amazing photography look luscious and temptious (pardon the pun)!

  61. My favorite whole grain is buckwheat

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  63. I’d love to try wheatberries!

  64. My favorite is quinoa. I am very eager to try wheatberries!

  65. i’d have to say quinoa, haven’t tried wheat berries yet.

  66. My favorite is quinoa. There’s a great recipe for a southwest style quinoa that I make with black beans.

  67. Just bought some wheatberries to try, and I’m going to try this recipe!! Yum!!

  68. The wheatberries with strawberries looks like a really great spring/summer dish. Can’t wait to experiment with more “summery” recipes.

  69. Mine is rice. I cannot go a whole day without eating rice!

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  70. I would love to try he Muesli or the Quinoa. Haven’t tried either yet.

  71. I really like Quinoa. I haven’t ever had freekeh though (sounds fun maybe!)

  72. I’d like to try Freekah

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