Mixed Grains Salad (name sucks, salad's delicious!)

This sounds disgustingly healthy. In fact, it is playfully delicious. The grains all provide a pleasant bite with a good mix of crunch from the nuts, seeds, and veg and little bursts of sweet and fresh throughout. 

Makes 8 to 10 servings

1 cup (105g) wheat berries

3/4 cup (75g) brown rice

1 cup (105g) pot barley

1/4 cup (55g) olive oil

2 Tbsps. tamari sauce + 2 Tbsps. water

1/4 cup (60 g) lemon juice

1 Tbsp (18g) Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

4 green onions, thinly sliced (60 to 80g)

1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced

1/3 cup (50g) dried cranberries

1/2 cup (65g) roasted hazelnuts, chopped

1/2 cup (70g) toasted sunflower seeds

1. Boil some salted water in a saucepan and cook the wheat berries at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes, covered.
2. Add the brown rice and gently simmer for another 25 minutes. 
3. Add the barley and cook another 20 minutes, until all the grains are tender. The wheat berries and the brown rice should start to split. Drain any excess water from the pot right away, otherwise the grains will continue to take on water and the starches will settle on the outside of the grains making for an unpleasant gelatinous texture in the finished salad.
4. In large bowl, whisk together oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Add wheat berries, brown rice, barley, green onions, red pepper and raisins. Toss to combine. Stir in hazelnuts and sunflower seeds.

Brown Rice Mujadara Bowl with a Fried Egg

A 'mujadara' is a classic Arabic dish. Apparently, the word translates as 'pockmarked'. A bit of a strange reference to food, but the lentils make the dish look like it has pimples, or so it did to those who named the dish. For me, it's a delicious accompaniment to eggs and harissa.

Serves 4

For the mujadara:
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup French lentils
4½ cups vegetable broth
2 + 1 Tbsps olive oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
½ cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
Salt

For the bowl:
Olive oil
4 large eggs
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Paprika
2½ Tbsps harissa (spicy or mild)
(optional) ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

1. In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add the brown rice, lentils, and a hefty pinch of salt. Reduce the flame to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes, uncovered, or until the rice and lentils are cooked through (add more liquid as needed). Once the rice and lentils are fully cooked, turn off the heat, put the lid on and set aside. Let sit for another 10 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsps of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the sliced onions until deeply browned and beginning to caramelize, about 20 minutes (TIP: add small amounts of water when you feel the need, to prevent the onions from burning; you can also continue cooking the onions for as long as the rice and lentils cook for a deeper caramelization). When the onions are nicely browned and almost finished, add in the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. When the rice and lentils have finished cooking, gently mix in the cumin, parsley, half of the onion mixture and the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Reserve the rest of the onions for serving.
4. Wipe clean the skillet used to cook the onions, lightly grease with olive oil, and return to medium heat. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook to your desired doneness. Sprinkle the tops of the eggs with salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika.
5. Divide the mujadara equally between 4 bowls and place a fried egg into each bowl. Garnish with the remaining caramelized onions, harissa, and toasted pine nuts.