This salad came together thanks to a combination of my yearning for fall flavors and my desire to clean out the pantry and fridge. With some easy ingredients you probably have on hand, this salad can be made a day or two ahead of time which makes it the perfect dish for a large gathering or potluck. It may just make its way onto my Thanksgiving dinner table. The farro adds both protein and bulk to the salad, keeping you sated for hours to come, but also adding a subtle nuttiness to the dish.
Here's the recipe.
Fresh Fall Farro and Kale Salad
Ingredients
1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Several leaves of fresh oregano
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 green onions, sliced
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup whole pecans or pecan halves
1 large ripe avocado
1 cup cooked and cooled farro
Method
Place the chopped kale in a large bowl. In a blender, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and oregano until smooth and well-incorporated. Massage the kale for a few seconds with your hands and then toss with the dressing and set aside.
Heat a skillet on high for a couple of minutes and then add in the pecans. Toast for 3-5 minutes, tossing the nuts every minute or so. As soon as you can smell the nuts and can see that they're starting to toast, remove from heat and toss into the salad.
After chopping and preparing the rest of the ingredients, combine all the ingredients in the large bowl with the kale and toss to incorporate dressing evenly throughout the salad. Generously season with salt and pepper. Top the plated salad with sliced avocado if serving right away. Otherwise, cover, refrigerate, and add the avocado just before serving.
Here's the recipe.
Fresh Fall Farro and Kale Salad
Ingredients
1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Several leaves of fresh oregano
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 green onions, sliced
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup whole pecans or pecan halves
1 large ripe avocado
1 cup cooked and cooled farro
Method
Place the chopped kale in a large bowl. In a blender, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and oregano until smooth and well-incorporated. Massage the kale for a few seconds with your hands and then toss with the dressing and set aside.
Heat a skillet on high for a couple of minutes and then add in the pecans. Toast for 3-5 minutes, tossing the nuts every minute or so. As soon as you can smell the nuts and can see that they're starting to toast, remove from heat and toss into the salad.
After chopping and preparing the rest of the ingredients, combine all the ingredients in the large bowl with the kale and toss to incorporate dressing evenly throughout the salad. Generously season with salt and pepper. Top the plated salad with sliced avocado if serving right away. Otherwise, cover, refrigerate, and add the avocado just before serving.
