Farro Salad with Black-Eyed Peas, Red Pepper, and Arugula

We've gone from rice to farro, friends.

Farro is an ancient wheat grain that I somehow always forget about. I typically go for couscous or quinoa in the same grocery store aisle, forgetting about these little pearls of high-fiber goodness. (Bonus: Farro's also awesome for those who are sensitive to gluten - while it's not gluten-free, it contains lower levels than most of today's wheat products, and, if prepared properly, the gluten is pre-digested and broken down by sprouting and fermentation (like a sourdough process, essentially)). 

To up farro's nutritional ante in this recipe, I added black-eyed peas for protein, red pepper and arugula for texture and nutrients, and plenty of garlic, onion, Parmesan cheese, and even a little white wine for extra flavor.

Dig in!

Farro Salad with Black-Eyed Peas, Red Pepper, & Arugula

Yields: 6 servings

-3 cups homemade vegetable stock (or low-sodium store-bought)

-1 cup dry farro

-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-1 small red onion, diced

-1 large garlic clove, minced

-1 large red bell pepper, diced

-1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

-Pinch of crushed red pepper

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-Splash of dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)

-2 large handfuls of baby arugula

-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1.) In a large pot, bring vegetable stock to a boil. Stir in farro, and lower heat to simmer; let cook for 20 minutes, or until farro is tender. Strain any excess stock and set aside.

2.) In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is almost translucent, about 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add bell pepper and cook until it begins to soften, about 3-5 minutes. 

3.) Add black-eyed peas, crushed red pepper, and salt and black pepper to the saute pan. Add a splash of wine, scraping any excess flavor from the bottom of the pan. Add the arugula and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes.

4.) Off the heat, add in the Parmesan cheese and a healthy squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Stir black-eyed pea, pepper, and arugula mixture into the cooked farro. Serve salad warm, or refrigerate and serve cold later. (It's even better the next day!).

This salad made a delectable side dish alongside some vegetarian sausages and a green salad, but a big bowl of it also made the perfect work day lunch. 

Do you have a favorite farro recipe? 

Mango and Curried Chickpea Salad

One thing you'll learn about me: I hate salads as a "meal." (Much to Z's chagrin). And when I say "salads," I mean your typical, protein-lacking bowl of greens. They never leave me full. 

It wasn't until a few short months ago that I started being a believer in "protein-packed salads." The salads that provide satiety, but also are full of unexpected flavors. The kind of salads only Yotam Ottolenghi can create...and I can revise to fit my own budget and what's currently sitting in my kitchen. (And can fit my current level of laziness).

This salad is packed with unusual yet complementary flavors - we're talking curry, mangos, jalapenos, sweet onions, and a pack of protein (and texture) from delightful little chickpeas. The salad's warm flavors are just fine enough for autumn, but this is definitely a "meal salad" you can make anytime of the year. 

Dig in!

Mango and Curried Chickpea Salad
Serves 4-6 (4 main courses; 6 "side salads")
Adapted from Ottolenghi's Plenty More 

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Ground coriander
• Ground cumin
• Curry powder
• Ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 small cauliflower, broken into florets
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 large, ripe mango, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and diced (or 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno slices, diced)
• 1 heaping cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• Juice of 1/2 a lime
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 heaping cups baby spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Directions:

1.) In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to become translucent. Add the spices - coriander, cumin, curry powder, turmeric, sugar - turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes, until the onion is completely soft. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2.) In the same pan, heat a little more olive oil over medium-high heat and add the cauliflower. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower begins to brown and becomes tender, about 7-10 minutes. (Don't let it become rubbery - just fork-tender!).

3.) Add the cauliflower to the bowl with the onion. Add the chickpeas, mango, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper; toss together. If you'd like a warmer salad, add the remaining ingredients and serve immediately; if you'd like it on the cooler side, let sit for 5-10 minutes, then add the spinach, raisins, and sunflower seeds before serving. 

Hearty and crunchy cauliflower, a ton of nutrients and protein, and oh-so much flavor. It also didn't take three years to make this - it came together in a measly 35 minutes. I also loved how the only dressing on this salad was lime juice, so the leftovers didn't become a soggy mess by the next day. Lunch leftovers for the win!

Are you a salad-as-a-meal person?