Wheat berries like farro and spelt are a nutritious and hearty addition to salads and they’re easy to prepare: Simmer in water until you like their texture and then drain off any remaining water. Timeless Food’s farro is a form of emmer, an ancient relative of wheat, as is spelt. These “ancient grains” do contain gluten, but it’s more delicate than that of modern wheat and some people with only moderate sensitivities to wheat and gluten can enjoy farro and spelt.
For vegetables, consider steamed broccoli florets, green beans, or diced cucumber; pitted Kalamata or oil-cured olives; sliced red bell pepper or roasted red bell pepper; sliced sun-dried tomatoes; sliced pickled peppers (Roots Kitchen & Cannery’s banana peppers); finely chopped scallion or chives; thinly sliced red onion or pickled onions.
Serves 6
For the Salad:
1½ cups uncooked semi-pearled farro (Timeless Food) or sprouted spelt berries (Conservation Grains)
3 cups water
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
About 3 cups mixed fresh and preserved vegetables (see list above)
4 ounces Amaltheia feta, crumbled into large chunks
For the Dressing:
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A couple pinches of flaky salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
In a skillet set over medium heat, toast the farro or spelt berries for a couple minutes, just until fragrant and beginning to brown. Bring the water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add the toasted farro or spelt berries and salt. Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer and then cover. Cook until grains are tender, about 15–20 minutes; drain off any excess water. Transfer cooked grain to a large bowl and let cool.
While the grain is cooling, make the dressing in a small jar: Whisk to combine the vinegar, Dijon, pepper, and salt. Then, while continuing to whisk, drizzle in the olive oil.
Add the vegetables to the cooled grain. Drizzle with the dressing and mix to combine. Crumble in the feta and mix gently. For an onthe- go lunch, pack into a jar or canister with a handful of spinach or arugula on top. Store refrigerated; it keeps well for several days.
- Adapted from Timeless Natural Food’s Jimbo’s Mediterranean Farro Salad.
