(4 servings, modified from EatingWell.com)
Farro is a well-loved ancient grain in Italy with its Italian name of emmer wheat. Farro comes in perlato (pearled) and semi-perlato (semi-pearled); opt for semi-perlato as it has more of the fiber and nutrient-rich bran intact (or buy whole farro if you can find it). It comes in three grades: long, medium or cracked. Again, go for one of the semi-pearled, intact grades (long or medium). With a higher fiber and protein content than common wheat, farro is also especially rich in magnesium and B vitamins. As a type of wheat, farro is unsuitable for those with celiac disease, gluten intolerance or a wheat sensitivity or allergy. Also note, as with all grains, pearled farro will take less time to cook than semi-pearled, which will take less time to cook than whole.
See Spring Clean Your Wellness to learn about the health benefits of fiber and its role in naturally detoxifying the body.
Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 4 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Salad
- 2 cups vegetable broth, or water
- 1 cup semi-pearled or whole grain farro
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup French green lentils, or brown lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups arugula, any tough stems removed, or mixed salad greens
- 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
To prepare vinaigrette: Combine oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and garlic in a blender, a jar with a tight-fitting lid or a medium bowl. Blend, shake or whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
To prepare farro: Combine with 2 cups water or broth in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for up to 40 minutes, until grains are tender and have absorbed all of the liquid.
To prepare salad: Combine 2 1/2 cups water and lentils in another saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until just tender, 15 to 25 minutes. (Green lentils will be done sooner than brown lentils.) Be careful not to overcook the lentils or they will fall apart in the salad. Drain any excess water and let cool for about 10 minutes. If arugula leaves are large, tear into bite-size pieces. Toss arugula (or greens) with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette in a large bowl, then divide among 4 large plates. In the same bowl, toss the farro and lentils with another 1/4 cup vinaigrette; divide the mixture among the plates. Top each salad with cucumber, tomatoes and feta and drizzle each with 1-tablespoon vinaigrette. (Cover and refrigerate the remaining 1 cup vinaigrette for up to 1 week.)
Nutrients Per Serving
Calories: 449
Protein: 19.8 grams
Fat: 18.3 grams
Saturated Fat: 4.8 grams
Carbohydrate: 63.7 grams
Fiber: 15.3 grams
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Vitamin A: 42%
Vitamin C: 80%
Calcium: 14%
Iron: 27%