Wheat Berries With Winter Squash and Chickpeas

Use wheat berries or spelt for this hearty, nutrient-dense winter dish. The squash will fall apart as it simmers with the wheat berries, adding a sweet flavor to the mildly spicy broth.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne (to taste)
• 1 cup wheat berries
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted in 1 cup water
• 4 cups water
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill or mint
• 1 pound winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut in large dice
• 1 can chickpeas, drained

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    296 calories; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 346 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Serves six

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic, ground allspice and cayenne. Stir together for about one minute, then add the wheat berries, tomato paste and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and add salt to taste. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons each of the parsley and dill or mint, and stir in the winter squash and chickpeas. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for another 45 minutes to an hour until the beans and wheat berries are tender and the squash is beginning to fall apart.
2. Uncover the pot, and turn the heat to high so that the liquid returns to a boil. Boil until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat, and stir in the remaining herbs. Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot or warm in wide soup bowls.

• Advance preparation: You can make this a few days ahead through Step 1. Reheat and reduce liquid (which will already be thicker if you’ve made it ahead) on the day you are serving.

About 1 hour 45 minutes