I had never heard of rye berries before spotting them at my coop recently. And now I’m hooked! They are nice and chewy like freekah and wheatberries, as well as filling, since they are packed with a fiber called arabinoxylan (high antioxidant activity). Rye is also rich in selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, and protein. The toasted hazelnuts add crunch and lovely savoriness to the salad. This would be great over spring greens and also as a hearty side dish. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BALSAMIC CHERRIES
8 ounces cherries
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

FOR THE PILAF
1 cup rye berries (or wheatberries), cooked
¼ cup hazelnuts
Salt to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or pinch of dried thyme, to taste
Freshly ground pepper

PROCEDURE
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Pit the cherries and cut in half.
3. Heat a medium or large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. Add the cherries and sauté for 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook no more than 1 minute. Transfer the cherries immediately to a bowl so that they don’t overcook. Set aside.
4. Place hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast in oven for about 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and roughly chop.
5. While the rye berries are still warm, combine with cherries, hazelnuts, thyme, salt, and pepper.