Wheatberry Salad With Mandarin Oranges

Our bridge club had a holiday party, where everyone brought a dish and we all stuffed ourselves before sitting down to three hours of bridge. There are a lot of good cooks at the bridge club, and everyone brought their best dishes. I, however, brought something I had never made before, but thought sounded good. I love wheatberries, a wonderful little grain similar to brown rice but with a little more bite. I make lots of varieties of cold salads using wheatberries. If you don't have them, or can't find them, you could substitute cooked brown rice or cooked quineoa.

Wheatberry Salad with Mandarin Oranges

2 cups cooked wheatberries (buy them at Sprouts in the bin).
2 small Persian cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 cup green olives, sliced
1-8 ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
Trader Joe's Orange Champagne Vinegar-to taste
Red balsamic vinegar-to taste
Citrus extra virgin olive oil (From Temecula Olive Oil Farm) optional

Cook wheatberries in salted water for 45 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Add all ingredients. The oil is optional. I typically make this salad with balsamic vinegar only, but this time I used the orange champagne vinegar, which gave it a nice, citrusy flavor. Salad is best if made a few hours before serving so the flavors can blend. This salad is a great addition to any buffet table, anytime of year.