Easy Summer Cooking.

Summer's here and most of us are looking for ways to stay out of the kitchen and stay cool. Here at Chez Jal, we eat lots of salads and cook on the grill as much as we can. Following is one of my favorite salads, and I like it anytime of the year.

Wheat Berry Salad

1/2 cup wheat berries
3 cups of water
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced radish
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
5 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 medium tomatoes, seed and chopped
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Place the wheat berries and water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and simmer until berries are tender, usually at least one hour.
Drain berries and place in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors mingle. Serve cold or at room temperature.

quickie

Before I go to bed, I thought I would post a quick recipe that I tried recently.

Mango and Avocado salad
adapted from Prevention magazine.

2 mangoes, diced
4 avocados, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 packed cup parsley, chopped
1/4 packed cup mint, chopped
juice and zest of 2 limes

Toss ingredients together, chill for 1 hour. Serve as an accompaniment to grilled meats.

One World, One Plate: Tuna Surprise

One World, One Plate: Tuna Surprise