Chicken Gorgonzola Salad with Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

Admittedly, this salad may not be brimming with innovation or creativity...but it is fresh and light, and  perfect for a summer weeknight meal. Our tomato forest is finally starting to produce the most beautiful sweet, bright and colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes - I think the endless Southern California marine layer this year has had the plants a bit confused. The fruit has been there forever and only now is it starting to ripen. It's so exciting to see beautiful pops of red, and yellow after weeks and weeks of checking nervously to find only more tiny growing green babies as well as growing signs of caterpillar destruction!

I have found the best way to prepare this salad is by boiling and shredding chicken breasts. Of course, you can grill the chicken if you like, and even serve the breast in it's entirety if that's your thing, but there is something texturally about the shredded chicken that really floats my boat. Now let's spend a moment on boiling chicken. It is very important (and I mean very) to not overcook the chicken. This is best avoided by keeping the water at a very gentle rolling boil - if you cook it at a high boil, you'll end up with dry, rubbery chicken and that a happy eater does not make. Once the water is boiling, add the chicken and a pinch of salt. After six or seven minutes (or less, depending on the size of the breasts) check the chicken often by cutting down the center. You want the chicken to be just barely cooked through, as it will continue to cook a bit once you take it out of the water. Let it cool slightly, then shred.


          1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and shredded
          8 oz. mixed greens
          1/2 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
          1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola
          1/4 cup pine nuts

Toss all the ingredients together with your favorite vinaigrette.

Makes two large, or four small portions.

Wheat Berry Bowl with Greens and Feta

Nothing fancy here, admittedly, but this simple bowl of wheat berries and wilted greens made a tasty and satisfying meal. Just to mix things up, I've started using the soft or "pastry" wheat berries, instead of the standard hard or "red" that I normally buy. This sort of minor change makes for a lot of excitement in my life. It doesn't take much, folks.

I used collard greens because that was what I had on hand, but chard, spinach or any other green that you love would be just as wonderful. Sprinkle with feta and a generous scattering of pine nuts for a little added texture and nuttiness. I tend to go overboard with the pine nuts...slivered almonds might be a yummy alternative. Oh, and olive oil. Just a little drizzled over the top. If you're short on time, this may not be practical, as the wheat berries take 45 minutes to an hour to cook. Mine were precooked and this bowl came together in a jiffy.

                    1 cup wheat berries
                    2 cups water
                    2 cups collard greens, washes and torn into bight sized pieces
                    feta and pine nuts to serve
         
To cook the wheat berries, wash and drain before placing in a medium sauce pan with the water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. When they have cooked to your liking (they will have plumped up with some cracked open), remove from the heat and drain. These can be cooked beforehand.

Blanch the greens in simmering water for just a few minutes until bright green and wilted.

Combine the greens and wheat berries in a bowl and top with feta, pine nuts, and drizzle with olive oil.