Salad made with wheat berries, veggies is an excellent source of fiber

It's Saturday and you're most likely asking for what reason we're highlighting a formula called Italian Wheat Berry Plate of mixed greens. It's anything but difficult to clarify, truly. We figured a refreshing side dish to go with your corned hamburger or bangers and crush may be all together.

On account of wheat berries, chickpeas and vegetables, our salad is pressed with fiber. A fiber-rich diet can help people with diabetes control blood sugar levels, while people trying to lose weight often find that adding fiber to their diets helps a bit.

In addition, a healthful amount of fiber may diminish your risk of heart disease and particular types of cancer. Most nutritionists recommend that healthy people get 25 to 35 grams of fiber every day. Though that may seem like a lot, these 5 tips will get you started toward meeting that  objective.

1. Eat breakfast. Start your day with a fiber-rich breakfast cereal. Check food labels and select cereals that have at least 4 grams of fiber per serving.
2. Enjoy at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Make it a habit to add a fruit or vegetable (or both) to every meal. Not only do fruits and vegetables provide fiber but they also contain nutrients that may help prevent the development of certain types of cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure.
3. Save the skins. When you can, eat fruits and vegetables with the skin on. The skin adds fiber and extra nutrients.
4. Experiment with whole grains. There's a growing selection of whole grains appearing on grocery stores shelves, including amaranth, bulgur, buckwheat (kasha), farro, spelt, freekeh, millet, barley and wheat berries. Wheat berries are unprocessed wheat kernels, and the wheat flour in your pantry is made from milled and ground wheat berries. Similar in appearance to brown rice, wheat berries have a chewy bite and subtle nutty flavor. If you have trouble finding them in your store, farro is an excellent substitute.
5. Eat your beans. Dried beans, peas and lentils are great sources of fiber, providing four to eight grams of fiber in every half-cup serving. Enjoy black, garbanzo (chickpeas), kidney, navy, soy and pinto beans; black-eyed, split green and yellow peas; and lentils.

Italian Wheat Berry Salad

This Italian Wheat Berry Salad is simple, fresh and full of delicious flavor, protein and fiber. Perfect for picnics or barbecues!

Prep time: 30 minutes             Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup uncooked wheat berries
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and chopped
• ¾ cup red bell pepper strips
• ¾ cup diced cucumber
• ⅓ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 clove garlic, peeled, minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Cook wheat berries according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain any excess liquid from cooked wheat berries and allow to cool before adding to salad.
In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, artichokes, red bell pepper, cucumber, red onion and olives. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, oregano, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Pour dressing over vegetable mixture, then add wheat berries. Toss to coat. Each serving is about ⅔ cup.

Nutrition Facts: 157 calories (29% from fat), 5 grams fat (1 gram sat. fat, 0 grams trans fat), 22 grams carbohydrates, 5 gram protein, 194 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 30 mg calcium, 4 grams fiber. Food exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.