Mushroom & watercress spelt salad recipe

Want to whip up a tasty and filling vegan lunch? Try this Spelt salad with mushrooms & watercress from one of our fave books, the Vegan Pantry, £11.89, by Dunja Gulin.(Photographer, William Reavell, published by Ryland peters & Small.)

We Heart Living – Pearled spelt salad with button mushrooms & watercress, Vegan Pantry full

Pearled spelt salad with button mushrooms & watercress

Serves 2

Many people are avoiding wheat berries and choosing to use spelt and spelt products instead, since spelt is easier to digest and causes fewer allergic reactions. It has a nice chewy texture, both whole grain and pearled. Using pearled is less time-consuming, as it cooks in 20 minutes, but if you prefer using whole grain, you can. Combined with a refreshing dressing, it makes for a light and nutritious lunch.

440ml water
190g pearled spelt, washed and drained
¼ teaspoon sea salt
150g sliced button mushrooms
3 teaspoons tamari
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the dressing
2 handfuls of watercress, washed and drained
¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted hazelnuts, to garnish

In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then add the spelt and the salt, lower the heat to a minimum and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until the spelt is chewy but soft. Drain any liquid that remains, if any, and allow the spelt to cool slightly.

Coat the mushrooms in the tamari and lemon juice. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan, then add the mushrooms and fry for only 1–2 minutes until they start wilting slightly. Turn off the heat, transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and let cool.

To prepare the green dressing, place all the ingredients, except a couple of watercress sprigs to garnish the dish at the end, in a blender jug and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. The dressing should be slightly salty to enhance the flavour of the cooked spelt.

When ready to serve, combine the spelt and mushrooms and top with 2 full tablespoons of the dressing. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts and add the watercress sprigs. Let each person mix in the dressing just before eating, otherwise it might look a bit messy on the plate!

Why not try some other delicious recipes from the Vegan Pantry? Try Vegan sushi, Kombu broth with tempura and Chia Pudding.

We Heart Living – Vegan Pantry