Farro is an ancient wheat grain (also called “emmer”) that is a showstopper in salads, with fruit, as a breakfast grain, and even as a traditional pasta replacement. It has a slight chewiness (al dente) to it, so it is heartier than pasta and is often used in place of it. This farro salad (with a Mediterranean flair) is perfect to make for a luncheon, a potluck, or for your lunches next week!
Farro Salad
by Amy Johnson (aka Mrs. Plant in Texas)
Ingredients
- 1 package of Trader Joe’s 10-minute Farro, cooked according to package directions OR 1 ½ cups of cooked farro (cooking instructions, below), cooled
- 1 cucumber, peel and remove center core, then dice
- 1 small zucchini, diced very small
- 1 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped into quarters
- ½ yellow bell pepper, diced small
- ½ red bell pepper, diced small
- ¼ red onion, diced finely
- ¼ cup of Kalamata olives, chopped
- ¼ cup of black olives, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons
Dressing:
- 2 T. fresh lemon juice
- 1 T red wine vinegar
- 2 T. of the brine from the Kalamata olives
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 Medjool date, pitted
- 1/2 t. oregano
- ½ t. chia seeds
- ¼ t. salt
- ¼ t. black pepper
Directions
Cooking Farro:
Add 2 ½ cups water and 1 cup of farro to a saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for 25-40 minutes until it reaches an al dente texture. This will probably make more than you need, but the yield varies in size so you want to make sure you have enough for the recipe (1 ½ cups of cooked farro).
Directions:
- In a large bowl or container, combine cooked and cooled farro with the cucumber, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, olives and basil.
- In a small cup-style blender, combine the dressing ingredients and blend until the date is pulverized well. Pour the dressing into the salad and stir well to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate before serving.
Recipe Note
Recipe by Amy Johnson, aka Mrs. Plant in Texas
Amy is a home chef living medicine-free in Frisco, Texas. She works with patients who have been diagnosed with dietary illnesses like obesity, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. to prevent and reverse these illnesses through a whole foods plant-based lifestyle. Before her journey, Amy was taking medication three times a day for Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, as well as struggling with severe osteopenia and obesity. After adopting a plant-based lifestyle, she has been able to get off her medications, lose weight (finally!), and run!
Visit her website at www.mrsplantintexas.com for hundreds of whole foods plant-based (no oil!) recipes, as well as cooking tips and plant-based education. Or, follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mrsplantintexas, on Instagram: mrsplantintexas, or on YouTube: www.youtube.com/mrsplantintexas.
