Hi guys! I hope you are all having an amazing end of summer, and staying happy and healthy as we head into fall weather. I am sad to see summer go, but I love the change of season from summer to fall and all that comes with it. Hint: be sure to keep an eye out for healthy pumpkin goodies to come! But first, I’m sharing my favorite farro salad I’ve been enjoying on the reg lately in the Fresh Plates kitchen!
For this dish, I decided to go with farro because it’s so delicious and hearty as we head into fall, but I’m still holding onto summer a bit as I mixed it with blackberries! This is such a great combination of savory and sweet, paired with the crunchy pistachios and tangy goat cheese. The arugula adds a nice peppery taste and a great texture, and of course to boost the greens in your day. I let the flavors speak for themselves and lightly dressed the salad with red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
Farro is a great alternative to grains like rice and quinoa, and has a similar texture to barley. It’s a whole wheat grain full of B-vitamins and fiber, contains magnesium and iron, is heart healthy and helps encourage satiety during meals. It’s a great source of resistant starch, which are carbohydrates that we can’t digest, but our gut bacteria digest to encourage a healthy gut microbiome. This grain is extremely popular in Mediterranean and middle eastern cultures.
Now, for the recipe!
- 1 cup of farro, cooked and cooled ahead of time
- 1/2 cup blackberries, or more to taste
- 1 cup of arugula
- 1/4 cup pistachio nuts, unshelled
- 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles
- 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
- For the farro, if you did not cook ahead of time, follow cooking directions on package - usually boils in hot water for about 10-15 minutes. Allow time for chilling in the fridge.
- Halve the blackberries, and add all ingredients except the goat cheese to a large mixing bowl.
- Toss the ingredients with the vinegar and oil to fully coat.
- Fold in the goat cheese. Top with more blackberries. Serve and enjoy!
- Prep the farro ahead of time to make this recipe in 5 minutes!
If you like this recipe, please leave a review or comment on the post below! What other ways to you enjoy whole grains like farro? Tag #FRESHPLATES with your creations – I love to see the healthy dishes you come up with!
xo Samantha
P.S. – I’m still taking FALL CLIENTS! If you’d like professional counseling from a Registered Dietitian, contact me today!
