The Next Salad Craze: Beans and Grains

In a 2007 food and health survey conducted by the International Food Information Council, 71% of Americans said they were trying to eat more whole grains. Food companies and Food Retailers have been quick to react to the rising demand. That same year, manufacturers launched 15 times as many new whole-grain products as they did in 2000, according to Mintel, a leading market research company.

Aside from their healthful properties, bean and grain salads are lauded by chefs for being foodservice-friendly. They are quick, simple to prepare, and they hold up well through service. Salads can be made in advance to allow the flavors to become fully integrated.

And some of the heartier salads—particularly those made with spelt berries or wheat berries—keep well for three to four days. In addition, leftover salad can have additional applications, being used in a hearty soup or stuffing for chicken or chiles. Sourcing grains has become much easier in recent years too, giving chefs plenty of reasons to experiment. Here, are three buzz-worthy varieties:

Quinoa: This ancient Peruvian ingredient is something quite unique: a vegetarian complete protein (containing all eight essential amino acids).

Wheat berries: Essentially unpolished wheat kernels, these berries are packed with protein and folic acid. When polished, they become grano.

Spelt berries: A cousin of the wheat berry, spelt berries bring a chewy nuttiness to dishes.

James Barrett, the co-owner of six-unit Metropolitan Bakery in Philadelphia, says spelt berries are one of his favorite ingredients. “It's the kind of [grain] that lends itself to many ethnic applications,” he says. “It's nutty in flavor with a toasted-nut quality, so it melds well with Mediterranean, Peruvian, Indian or even Hispanic flavor profiles.”

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