Mediterranean Farro Salad

with crunchy veggies, chickpeas & feta

gluten-free

Originating in a farro-way place (the Middle East), this chewy, nutty, ancient grain is basically a blank slate for flavour. When paired with Mediterranean salad staples, this plant-based recipe makes a filling, satisfying lunch (use diced avocados instead of feta for vegan). The fresh herbs are essential to this recipe, so please don’t leave them out!

SALAD

• 1½ cups uncooked farro (see cooking tip)
• 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• 1 cup peeled, diced English cucumbers
• 1 cup diced red bell peppers
• 1 cup canned no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ⅓ cup finely diced red onions
• ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp minced fresh dill, mint or basil

DRESSING

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp liquid honey (or pure maple syrup for vegan)
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp dried oregano

• ½ cup crumbled light or regular feta cheese (2 oz/57 g)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Place farro in a mesh sieve and rinse well under cold running water. Add rinsed farro to a medium pot with 8 cups salted water. Bring to a boil and cook farro as you would cook pasta, until tender. Farro should still be a bit chewy. Check package for recommended cooking time, anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of farro you’re using. Drain farro and cool completely.
2. Transfer cooled farro to a large bowl and add tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, chickpeas, onions, pine nuts and herbs. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together all dressing ingredients until well blended. Pour over salad and mix gently until all ingredients are coated with dressing. Gently stir in feta and season with salt and pepper to taste. May be served immediately or covered and refrigerated before serving.

Makes about 8 cups salad

Per cup: 206 calories, 5.9 g total fat (1.4 g saturated fat), 8.4 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate (5.7 fibre, 5.3 g sugars), 3.5 mg cholesterol, 100 mg sodium

Switch it up: Make this salad gluten-free by using quinoa instead of farro.

Jazz it up: Add ½ cup pitted kalamata olives.

Cooking Tip: Do I really need to rinse farro before cooking? Yes, you do. The grain often has a powdery, dusty coating on it after harvesting that needs to be removed. A quick rinse in a sieve under cold running water will do the trick. When using farro (or any grains) in cold salads, transfer the cooked grains to a baking sheet or a large plate, spread them out and let them dry for 20 minutes or so. Skipping this step means your grains will continue steaming, which can make them mushy. You can cook the farro a day in advance and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. I like to place a damp paper towel over the grains so they don’t dry out. 

Sunflower Crunch Edamame Salad

with a sweet-and-savoury sesame-ginger dressing

gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan

Trust me, this is not a tasteless pile of soybeans! It’s a showstopping edamame and lentil salad that’s bright, beautiful and brimming with flavour, thanks to the Asian-inspired dressing and the colourful mix of vibrant veggies. Toss in some crunchy sunflower seeds and fresh cilantro and try not to eat the whole bowlful!

SALAD

• 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) lentils, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups frozen shelled edamame beans, thawed
• 1½ cups diced English cucumbers (peeled or unpeeled)
• 1 cup grated red cabbage
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup diced red bell peppers
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• ½ cup roasted salted sunflower seeds
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro

DRESSING

• ⅓ cup hoisin sauce*
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil or peanut oil
• 2 tbsp dark sesame oil
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp grated fresh gingerroot
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp grated lime zest
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

*For gluten-free, use GF hoisin sauce.

METHOD

1. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside.
2. Make the dressing: Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. (Alternatively, you can shake them up in a mason jar or whirl them in a small blender.)
3. Pour dressing over salad and mix gently until all ingredients are well coated. Tongs work well for this purpose. May be served immediately or covered and stored in the fridge for up to 1 day before serving.

Makes about 9 cups salad

Per cup: 213 calories, 11.6 g total fat (1.2 g saturated fat), 8.5 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate (4.9 g fibre, 8.4 g sugars), 0 mg cholesterol, 315 mg sodium

Switch it up: Trade the sunflower seeds for sliced almonds or chopped peanuts.

Jazz it up: Add 1 tbsp sunflower butter or peanut butter to the dressing.

Italian Chopped Salad

with a bright and bold red wine vinaigrette

gluten-fee

It’s an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink salad, Italian style! Grab your cutting board, a good sharp knife, put on some tunes and let’s get chopping!

DRESSING

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or liquid honey
• 1 tbsp minced shallots
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

SALAD

• 6 cups chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce
• 4 oz (113 g) diced salami
• 4 oz (113 g) diced Provolone or aged white cheddar cheese
• 1½ cups quartered grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1½ cups diced English cucumbers
• 1 cup diced yellow bell peppers
• 1 cup no-salt-added canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
• ½ cup chopped radicchio
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onions
• ⅓ cup freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese

METHOD

1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or shake them up in a mason jar. If you own a single-serve blender, whirl the ingredients to make the dressing extra silky. Refrigerate dressing until ready to use.
2. Combine all salad ingredients except Parmesan in a very large serving bowl. Add dressing and mix well. Add the Parmesan just before serving, either mixed into the salad or sprinkled over individual servings.

Makes about 12 cups salad

Per cup: 161 calories, 11.5 g total fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 6.3 g protein, 8.4 g carbohydrate (2.2 g fibre, 3.2 g sugars), 10 mg cholesterol, 355 mg sodium

Swap it: I personally LOVE aged white cheddar in this recipe, but mini bocconcini would also work well.

Top it: If you’re a fan of nippy pepperoncini peppers, chop two or three and sprinkle them over the salad before serving.