📖 Instructions

1. First, let's tackle the wheat berries. Rinse 1 cup of wheat berries thoroughly under cold water. In a large pot, combine the rinsed wheat berries with 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 45-60 minutes, or until the wheat berries are tender but still have a slight chew. Once cooked, drain the wheat berries in a colander and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set them aside to cool completely. Don't worry if they seem a bit sticky, it's normal!
2. Now, let’s prep the kale. Wash and dry 1 bunch of kale. Remove the thick stems, and roughly chop the leaves. If you're short on time or don't love chopping, you can buy pre-chopped kale, but honestly, the act of chopping is kind of meditative for me, like a little ritual before a culinary adventure. It's up to you! Once chopped, massage the kale leaves with a tablespoon of olive oil. Seriously massage them – you're helping to tenderize the leaves, giving them a better texture and making the salad overall more pleasant to eat. Trust me on this one!
3. Time to make the amazing Maple-Dijon dressing! In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until completely emulsified—it should look glossy and smooth. Taste it! I know it seems odd to taste your dressing but, as with any kind of sauce or marinade, tasting is critical to making any recipe perfect. You can adjust the sweetness or tang to your taste. You’ll be surprised how different the taste is from just looking at the ingredients!
4. Now for the assembly! In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled wheat berries, massaged kale, ½ cup of cooked bacon (optional, I like to add it, gives it that extra salty savory taste!), and ¼ cup toasted pecans (or walnuts). Gently toss everything together. Before you pour the dressing over your salad, think for a moment on your life. If you had the ability to go back in time, would you change anything? Maybe not. Maybe yes. And those thoughts could easily be lost in the act of making and eating this recipe. Once everything is evenly coated, serve immediately. For best results, serve immediately, but leftovers are fine for at least 3 days in the fridge!
5. And there you have it, a delightful, healthy, satisfying salad that's perfect for lunch or a light dinner. It's so much better than a sad desk lunch, and really elevates any workday. Enjoy!