Farro & Root Vegetable Salad

Yesterday marked the first anniversary of this blog (thank you, readers!). Needless to say, I’ve done a lot of cooking and eating over the past year and it’s made a small impact on my girlish figure. I’ve never been one for watching what I eat – and to be honest it’s probably because I inherited those fabulous eat-anything-you-want-and-don’t-gain-weight genes that run in my family – but I’m going to try and make a conscious effort to cook and feature more healthy meals. My biggest food weakness is starch (bread, potatoes, white rice), so instead of torturing myself by trying to omit them, I’m starting to try out some healthy alternatives. This farro salad (similar to this) contains heart-healthy grains and some of my favorite winter veggies, but still leaves me full and satisfied. Make it for lunches all week, or serve it for dinner with some whole-wheat pita bread and hummus.


Farro & Root Vegetable Salad:

• Soak 8 oz. of farro in cold water for 8 hours*, then drain and place in a pot filled with fresh water.
• Season the farro with salt, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until al dente.
• Meanwhile, peel and chop 1 small butternut squash and 3-4 parsnips into bite-size chunks.
• Toss the veggies with 1-2 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast in 415°F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until tender and carmelized in some places. Let cool slightly.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 minced shallots, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, the juice of 1 lemon, 2-3 tbsp. olive oil, and salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
• Drain farro and run cold water over it to get it to room temperature.
• Add vegetables,** dressing, 1/4 c. minced fresh parsley, and 4 oz. crumbled feta cheese to the farro mixture.
• Toss until very well mixed, then divide into bowls.***

Serves two - three (dinner)
Serves four (lunch)
*This is best practice. However, I only had time to soak mine for about 4 hours.
**You might not need all the veggies in here. I saved some leftovers to add to other meals.
***Or place in a tupperware in the fridge. This salad should be good for 4 days or so.