It's simple, light and filled with hearty ingredients that will keep you feeling satisfied for hours. It's a salad you can make ahead and even take it with you! Perfect for any weekday lunch.
Farro (aka Faro) is a healthy Italian whole grain that cooks up very quickly, similar to quinoa and rice. I heard so much about it; farro is also known as the "smart carb," containing complex carbs that break down slowly, keeping your energy level stable. This is a perfect grain for our Dad who is a Diabetic.
Farro is also very versatile, works well in salads, soups and almost anything served at room temperature. So cook up extra and then keep it in the fridge for fast meals during the week.
I never bought Farro before until recently, and found this one at Trader Joes, only this particularly farro is already pre-cooked, and it's ready in 10 minutes. I thought I would give it a try and add some into the salad. It adds more protein and fiber to the salad, making it heartier to keep me feeling full longer.
Dark leafy kale can taste bitter at times, so for me I found it best to let the kale marinate in the citrus-honey vinaigrette before serving; in fact, the longer it did, the better the kale tasted! Because it tenderizes the kale. The outcome was really good. The salad is enough to satisfy one's appetite for lunch.
The walnuts and almonds adds some protein along with some healthy Omega- 3's. While the cranberries and apples offer enough sweetness to this salad, it all balances out the flavors of the kale and faro very nicely!
Occasionally, I love adding some crumbled goat cheese and even blue cheese. Next time, I will add some to satisfy my cheese cravings! Have a fun day!
Enjoy!
Kale and Farro Salad with Citrus-Honey Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup Farro (10 Minute Farro, from Trader Joes)
- 1 cup water
- 5 ounce dark leafy kale, rinsed, stems removed - chopped
- 1 Fuji or Gala apple - cord, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion-thinly sliced
- 2 ounces fresh squeezed orange juice
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. apple-cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. honey
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup mixed natural almonds and walnuts
In a small sauce pan, add farro with water and cover. Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, stir with a fork and set aside to cool.
In the meantime, place the kale, red onions, cranberries, apples, and nuts into a large mixing bowl. Then make the vinaigrette for the salad.
In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, olive oil, both vinegars, and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the desired amount of vinaigrette over the kale, (save extra dressing for later) and toss to combine.
Add the cooked Farro. Cover and chill for about 2 hours or more before serving.
Serves 2
Here's a tip: If you are making this salad for guests, it's best to toss in the chopped apples just before serving, to keep them fresh and from turning brown.
