Can I just eat this for lunch every day for the rest of the summer please? Okay so maybe I would get tired of it after a week or so but add of side of watermelon and an ice cold beer and this Blueberry Farro Salad with Creamy Fresh Herb Dressing is what summer dreams are made of. 

All About Farro

What Exactly is Farro?

Farro, which is actually pronounced “FARE-oh” (I just found out I’ve been saying it wrong for years! anyone else?) is an ancient grain – meaning it has been consumed for thousands of years and has been largely unchanged over time (1). It falls into the same category as some trendier counterparts such as quinoa, millet and sorghum, all of which pack a big nutritional punch and are typically purchased unrefined.

Health Benefits of Whole Wheat

Farro is whole wheat, which means it is not suitable for the gluten-free folks out there. And although I find that wheat gets a bad rap these day, the health benefits are well established and include reduced risk for many chronic diseases including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke (2, 3). The high fiber content is likely responsible for these benefits since as we know, fiber acts like roughage going through the digestive tract pulling in water and waste while keeping things running smoothly. Fiber is also highly satisfying (i.e. hard to overeat) and promotes a healthy gut microbiota in addition to its many other amazing beneficial qualities. 

The Process

Let’s Talk About That Dressing

Should I rename this blog, “all things tahini“? Just kidding. Although I’m back with another way to use it in this fabulous dressing recipe. The cool thing is that it’s luxurious and creamy but still vegan and dairy free for those of you with dietary restrictions. Balsamic vinaigrette is great and all, but sometimes you just need something creamy, amiright? 

For this particular version, I mixed in copious amounts of fresh herbs for flavor along with some lemon juice for brightness. Something sweet is usually a good thing with tahini, even if just a drizzle so there is a touch of maple syrup to balance out the bitterness. 

Another nice thing is, you can make it ahead of time and use it on just about everything from traditional salads to grain bowls. It should last for about 5-7 days in the fridge. I know the blender is a little bit high maintenance, but trust me when I say you will thank me later! 

The Other Star Ingredients

Pictured below are the core ingredients you need to bring the actual salad together. Now, I love a simple whole grain salad as both a side dish or a light lunch in the summertime heat. My basic no-fail formula is grain + fruit + flavorful cheese + nut + dressing to bring it all together. Beyond that, you can get creative and make it your own based on what you find at the farmer’s market or what you need to use up in your fridge at the moment. I also keep color and texture at top of mind. Experiment with different whole grains to find your favorite!

The specific brand of farro that I purchased (see above) cooked in just 10 minutes. I thought that was pretty awesome because this made for a really fast lunch. While it cooks, you can seed and chop the cucumber (no need to peel). Note: I used a Persian cucumber here. I love them because they are small and less watery than the larger, traditional cucumbers. An English cucumber would also work great. 

Small dice the onion (really small) and then soak it in some cold water to take some of the bite away. This is a simple step that makes a huge difference in the final product!

Pro tip: Use the soak method on any traditionally bitter vegetable when using it raw. You would be surprised how well it works. Beware of using raw onion in salads because you might be risking onion breath for the rest of the day. Just sayin’.

Once all of your ingredients are ready to go, add them to a medium-size bowl and mix until well combined. At this point you can add the dressing and I would highly recommend chilling if you have the time. When ready to serve, garnish with walnuts (or any other favorite nut or seed) and serve as a side dish or over some mixed greens for a light lunch.

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Sources:

1. Whole Grains Council. Whole Grains 101 (Wheat). Retrieved from https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whats-whole-grain/ancient-grains.

2. Zong G, Gao A, Hu FB and Sun Q. Whole Grain Intake and Mortality From All Causes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. Circulation. 2016; 133(24):2370-80. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25646321.

3. Dagfinn A, Keum N, Giovannucci E, et al. Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ. 2016;353:i2716. Retrieved from https://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i2716.