Sunny Winter Days & a Recipe for Spelt Berry Salad with Pistachios & Blood Oranges

I’m tired of wearing pants. I know it’s still winter and all, but I’m positive that I’m destined to live my life somewhere hot and sunny. Somewhere that will allow me to forever wear sundresses and sandals, and never have to utter the words “pants” or “closed-toed shoes” because the items are simply unnecessary and hideous and considered to be downright bad for society.

In the meantime, I live in a pretty great place {despite all of the pants wearing that occurs here}. It’s sunny most of the time, it’s not too cold {well, sometimes it is too cold}, and best of all, it’s incredibly beautiful when everything is snow covered. So beautiful that I’m willing to wear pants for it… maybe even some — gasp! — closed toed shoes.

Pants aside, at least I don’t really have to eat like I live in a perpetual winter wonderland {this includes consuming straight up blubber to keep warm for the winter}. Instead I can make easy, light, but satisfying meals like this Spelt Berry Salad with Pistachios & Blood Oranges. It’s seasonal, simple, and packed with healthy goodness {especially if you serve it on a bed of greens}.

Now you tell me: are you a sun and sand or winter wonderland kind of person?

Spelt Berry Salad with Pistachios & Blood Oranges
Serves 4–6

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups spelt* berries, rinsed
3 cups water
2 blood oranges, peeled and divided into segments, then roughly chopped
3 green onions, sliced
½ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Combine rinsed spelt berries and water in a medium pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, stir, and cover; cook for about 1 hour, or until spelt is tender. Rinse under cold water until spelt is cold, drain, and transfer to a large bowl. Add oranges, onions, pistachios, cranberries, feta, oil, and vinegar — adding more or less vinegar, to taste. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

*Side note: spelt and farro are two completely different grains. While many people refer to them as the same thing, they cook differently, taste different {different texture too}, and have totally different nutritional content. See? The Kitchn agrees.