Spring Tuscan Farro Salad

Tender spring veggies meets hearty, nutty farro in this quick & simple salad. Full of the best seasonal flavors, discover just how easy it is to add whole grains to your diet with quick-cooking Bob's Red Mill Farro.

What happens when you mix the hearty, nutty, chewy texture of wholegrain farro with the comforting warmth of fresh seasonal veggies, a fresh bite of herbs, sassy sliced strawberries, creamy avocado and the most perfect tahini dressing ever made in the history of ever?

Why this pretty little Spring Tuscan Farro Salad is what you get, my loves.

Grab a bowl. It’s time to cook pretty.

Something about the shift of seasons always leaves me forgetting what I used to like to eat.

Like here we are, staring down Springtime, and suddenly I’m like: wait. I don’t want winter comfort foods, but WHAT DID I EAT WHEN I WASN’T EATING WINTER COMFORT FOODS?!

Does this happen to you?

So blessedly, there is a simple answer. Because Spring is the perfect time for salads.

But this salad is better than a same-old tossed green something-or-other.

Because we flash fry the veggies until warm and soft and earthy. Then toss ‘em all together with wholegrain Bob’s Red Mill Farro, an ancient grain beloved all over the world. But especially in Italy.

And you know, if you can make a dinner that makes you feel like you’ve whisked yourself away to Italy…is that not exactly the sort of dinner you’d like to make every night of your existence?

Oh good, me too.

Perhaps the finest thing about Bob’s Red Mill farro is that it’s incredibly simple to make. Just soak overnight, then boil for 10-15 mins the next day. Or, toss into the instapot and cook real quick-like. Just 10 minutes in an electric pressure cooker and while you chop, those whole grains tenderize. Then everything is ready to toss together in just about 20 minutes.

You’re welcome. I love you.

My people, run to the grocery story, grab a bag of Bob’s Red Mill Farro and whisk your face away to the tastiest Spring Tuscan Farro Salad you’ve ever ever’ed.

You’ll be so glad you did.

Spring Tuscan Farro Salad

Serves 6-8 | 30 minutes from start to finish

FOR THE SALAD:

• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Farro

• 2 cups water

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 Tbsp oil

• 1 Tbsp garlic paste or fresh-chopped garlic

• 8 mini carrots, quartered lengthwise

• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas

• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2” pieces

• 1 cup fresh peas

• 3/4 cup fresh chopped herbs (basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, fennel)

• 1 cup sliced strawberries

• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

FOR THE DRESSING:

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

• fresh-squeezed juice of 2 lemons

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pure maple syrup

Place farro in an instapot, add water. Salt and pepper. Cook on manual for 10 minutes, allow to sit for 1 minute then quick-release and drain farro in a strainer under cool water. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add carrots and cook for a few minutes. Add chickpeas, asparagus and peas. Stir fry until veggies are heated through.

In a large bowl, toss together veggies with farro, herbs, strawberries and avocado.

In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together until smooth.

Drizzle with dressing. Serve and enjoy!

Simple Asian Avocado-Citrus Salad

DISCLAIMER: This post was sponsored by DOLE. I was asked to create a Brain-Smart recipe using DOLE Fresh Spinach, Blueberries, Strawberries, or Broccoli. All opinions expressed in this post are mine. 

I know veggies are vital to good health. But for some reason, I always feel like they’re hard to make. Try as I might to read a hundred, thousand cookbooks on Easy Healthy Recipes, pin as I might a millionbillion pretty pictures. when it comes down to it, it’s easy to forget how to prep fresh veggies, how to enjoy them, how to add them into my daily life. 

But plant-based eating is so, so incredible vital.  Study after study shows the mind-blowing benefits of diets rooted in plant-based eating. From lower rates of cardiovascular disease to potentially reduced rates of cancer and boosted brain power, a focus of fresh vegetables does a body good. 

So this week, when DOLE reached out and asked me to create a Brain-Smart recipe for Brain Awareness Week (which begins March 16th), I was delighted! Any excuse to dive into easy-to-make healthy recipe ideas is a dream come true.

This year Dole is looking to inspire Americans to eat more fruits and veggies in 2015, especially during Brain Awareness Week. So many fruits and vegetables contain nutritional elements that may help improve memory and overall brain function, it’s time to skip the fast food and start making fast-and-healthy food! 

After hunting down some delicious ideas, I decided to create a simple Asian Inspired salad. I wanted it to be so quick and easy, there wasn’t even a smidgen of space for me to make excuses. I wanted a salad so good, and so quick, it could be made in less time than a trip through a drive-thru. You’re going to love it. Grab a sack of DOLE Spinach, an avocado, and an orange, and you’re halfway there!

HOW TO CUT A PERFECT AVOCADO SLICE

Ever wanted to slice a perfect piece of avocado? Here’s how! 

• 1. Slice a ripe avocado in half with a knife. 
• 2. Press the knife into the center of the pit, then twist gently to remove the pit. 
• 3. Slice the avocado in half. Then gently peel the peel off. It’ll create a perfectly smooth avocado slice!

Place those avocado slices on top of your spinach leaves. Top with orange slices. Then whisk together a sweet-and-spicy sesame dressing. 

A drizzle of the dressing lends beautiful flavor and tons of crunch. A little heat. A little honey. A whole lotta healthy. 

Make, eat, enjoy!

SIMPLE ASIAN AVOCADO CITRUS SALAD WITH DOLE FRESH SPINACH

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag DOLE fresh Baby Spinach
1 navel orange, peeled and wedged
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon Braggs aminos (or tamari)
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon red pepper oil (or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Arrange spinach, orange slices, and avocado on serving dishes.
In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Braggs aminos, sunflower seeds, red pepper oil, honey, and pepper. Drizzle over salad. Serve immediately and enjoy!

FIND MORE HEALTHY & DELICIOUS DOLE RECIPES

The DOLE website is chock-full of delicious recipes. With a focus on healthy, plant-based eating, DOLE is a premiere resource for anyone looking to lose weight, eat right, and boost brain health.

Quick & Clean Taco Salad

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Results from the survey will be in shortly, but here’s a quick recipe using for your Thousand Garlic Steak.

A taco salad, made with microgreens and topped with pine nuts. Simple and splendid.

Plus, chock full of all the good stuff your body needs. Nutrient rich sprouts, grassfed beef, and a deliciously simple dressing made with lime and EVOO.

This is one of those recipes I like eating in the afternoon. Right around 2p.m. for a late lunch. I find that, once I fill up on this sort of yumminess, I don’t need to eat much at all for dinner. A scoop of avocado, a quick smoothie bowl. This delicious dish leaves me filling full without feeling fat.

Which is just the sort of feeling one desires more often than not.