slow cooker black bean and spelt salad
Just because its summertime doesn’t mean you relegate your slow cooker to the back of your pantry. On the contrary, it is a useful cooking tool which keeps the oven and stove off. It is particularly helpful in starting grain-based salads. This is a favorite.
Ingredients
- 1cup uncooked spelt groats, rinsed well
- 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 2cup vegetable stock
- 1/2cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1tablespoon mayonnaise, optional
- 2tablespoon honey
- 2tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 red or orange bell peppers, chopped
- 2cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1cup crumbled feta cheese
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Place the spelt groats in a large slow cooker. Add the black beans and the next 3 ingredients (through carrots) on top of the spelt groats. Pour the vegetable stock and 1 cup water over the spelt groats, beans and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 ½ to 5 hours until spelt groats are tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Remove spelt mixture to a large serving bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and the following 5 ingredients (through the green onion). Add the yogurt dressing, bell peppers, tomatoes and feta cheese to the spelt mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve “as is” or over a bed of crisp lettuce.
Recipe Notes
I originally made this with pearled barley so feel free to substitute barley in place of the spelt.
Substitute goat cheese, cheddar cheese cubes or a creamy havarti for the feta.
It’s summer and this is a summer salad, which means chop up and mix in whatever veggies are growing in your garden or what looks really good at the farm stands.
Serve on the side (or add in) some grilled chicken sausage or a grilled meat for the carnivores in the bunch.
This taste even better the next day once the flavors meld together.
This is a perfect pot luck dish for a summer picnic or get together.
