Herbed Farro Salad

Quick, delicious and very healthy. The ingredient amounts can vary depending on your preferences or what you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup farro, cooked
juice & zest of a lemon
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
handful fresh basil, chopped
1 cup of chopped tomatoes
4-5 scallions, chopped
1/3 english cucumber, quartered then chopped
5 oz. feta, preferably in brine
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup (or less) extra virgin olive oil
1 cup arugula, or more to extend servings

DIRECTIONS
First, cook the farro, according to the package directions. When cooked and tender, transfer to a large bowl. Then, immediately pour the lemon juice over the farro while it’s still warm. Let the mixture sit until somewhat cooled or a bit longer, this allows the farro to absorb the lemon. Add the next 7 ingredients to the bowl, mix well and then add salt & pepper to taste. Refrigerate for an hour or two to fully marinate. When about ready to serve, add the olive oil, toss well, taste and adjust seasonings. It should taste very lemony, if it doesn’t add more lemon juice. Make a bed of the arugula and spread the marinated salad over it, serve immediately. This looks terrific in a long oval or oblong serving dish, as shown in my photo.

This is great as a hearty lunch or a wonderful side dish. Especially good for a crowd at your next barbecue.

NOTES
The ingredient amounts can vary depending on your preferences or what you have on hand. Toasted walnuts are also a nice addition.



Summer Vegetable Ceviche

I stumbled upon this recipe several summers ago and I’m so pleased that I did. Without fail, every time I make this, someone asks for the recipe. It is an incredibly versatile recipe that highlights the very best of summer. It’s refreshing, light, healthy and great the next day too. Feel free to adjust the  vegetable amounts to your own liking. And absolutely feel free to swap out what you do or do not have.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
zest of 1 lime
1/3 cup lime juice
1 -2 scallions, sliced
1 jalapeño, seeded & finely chopped
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 cup edamame, cooked & shelled (see notes below)
2 ears FRESH corn, blanched & sliced off the cob
2 nectarines, thinly sliced
1 avocado, cubed
1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro (see notes below)

DIRECTIONS
First, combine the olive oil, lime zest, and lime juice. Then, add the scallions, jalapeño, shallot and red onion; season with salt and pepper.

Next, gently fold in the vegetables to combine and then refrigerate the mixture, for at least 2 hours. Finally, add the cilantro just before serving and serve over a bed of arugula.

NOTES
Regarding the edamame. Since first writing this post, I have discovered fresh and frozen versions of edamame, that have already been shelled. This takes some of the tediousness out of the prep work and I highly recommend using them if you they’re available in your area. Trader Joe’s has them in their frozen section and also, check in your produce section for the fresh version; they are vacuum sealed and in a small box.

Also, if by chance, you or your guests, don’t like cilantro, have no fear because other fresh herbs are a great alternative. I just recently brought this to a friend’s house and because I knew two of the guests, did not like cilantro, I had to modify the herbs. Therefore, I used a combination of parsley, basil and mint, with wonderful results.