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A while back my sister-in-law sent me an email with the title Insane Salad Recipe, and boy she wasn’t kidding! This salad really is insanely good!
Typically I don’t make many recipes from Food & Wine magazine, but when I read who the contributing chef was, it all made sense! The original recipe was created by Heidi Swanson…from one of my favorite blogs 101 cookbooks. Her genius recipes always impress!
I didn’t do much to alter the original recipe except for replacing the honey with agave syrup, increasing the amounts of golden raisins and fresh squeezed lemon juice and adding chopped kale. Leave it to me to add chopped kale to everything! For a gluten-free version, substitute quinoa for farro. Want a lower-carb version? Omit the farro and add more kale!
Here’s a fun fact…
Did you know that foods naturally rich in nitrates such as green leafy vegetables and beets reduce inflammation in the body? When we chew green leafy vegetables, the bacteria in our mouths converts the nitrates into nitrites, which then are swallowed and combined with gastric juices in our stomaches. From there, the nitrites turn to nitric oxide, which reduces total body inflammation. The healing ability of food will forever amaze me! Just another reason to eat your greens…and beets 🙂 (Digestive Wellness By Elizabeth Lipski, PH.D, CCN, CHN)
Rebecca…If you’re reading, this recipe has you written all over it 🙂
Kale salad with Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups farro uncooked
- sea salt
- 4 large leaves kale de-stemmed and finely chopped
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2½ cups pitted green olives preferably Castelvetrano, chopped
- 4 scallions white and light green parts only, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup chives chopped
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the farro with 4 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered, until the farro is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the farro and spread it on a baking sheet to cool.
- Massage chopped kale with a drizzle of olive oil and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled farro, kale, walnuts, olives, scallions, chives, raisins, crushed red pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, agave syrup and season with sea salt as needed.
- Toss until well combined, serve at room temperature and enjoy 🙂
Notes
Nutrition
