Fruit, Grains, Nut Salad

I'm heading out for several days of hideaway sewing and am taking a favorite cold grain salad I love.  A while back, I sampled an expensive grain salad at Trader Joes and decided I'd try to make up something similar.  I buy most all these ingredients at Traders, too.   So here's my recipe .... ( makes about 9 cups) . That is a bit but it stays in my fridge ready for a quick no fuss lunch all week...

1 cup  uncooked quinoa ( this is gluten free)
1 cup uncooked barley (contains gluten)
1 cup uncooked farro  ( contains gluten)
1 cup uncooked wild rice ( also gluten free) my favorite is black rice but can't often find it
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
2/3 cup  raw sliced almonds ( or broken cashew pieces****)
1 cup dried fruit.. cranberries , golden raisins or ?
3 TBSP flavored Vinegar ( I used Orange Muscat Champagne vinegar)
2 TBSP light oil ( I used light olive oil)
Sweetener of choice and volume ( I used 5 Equal packets)

If you are adverse to gluten... use  twice the quinoa and rice and forget the barley and farro.

Measure and dump fruit, sunflower seeds and nuts in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Next prepare / boil grains and rice per package instructions.  (Wild rice takes the longest so start it first)
Once cooked, you will drain off excess water . If you ever see one of these colanders.. BUY it. I found this one at Marshalls. It has a rubber based heavy bottom and sits like a bowl. Once filled with to be drained food item...  grab the flared handle and tilt so liquid drains . Very cool design. Click on photo for enlarged view.

As each grain or rice is drained... pour it on top of the dried fruit, nuts, seeds in the bowl set aside earlier.

Combine mixture.. then add vinegar, oil, and sweetener ... mix thoroughly

I store in a Ziploc container in the fridge. Eat it warm or cold... I like cold!

So I am now leaving one mountain ( Mt Baldy, Ca) for a few days on another ( Lake Arrowhead. Ca). Happy Sewing!