Farro, Pomegranate, & Arugula Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

How about a super festive farrolicious Christmahanakwanza salad to complete your holiday meal planning?!

I made this bad boy on a whim when I was desperate to find a whole grain salad topper other than quinoa. Don't get me wrong---I love quinoa as much as the next hipster foodie, but I wanted something that actually had flavor. Is that so rude?

I was perusing the Whole Foods bulk bins and stumbled across farro, a grain I'd heard about but never actually tried. Farro has a super nutty flavor, like the nuttiest grain I've ever laid mouth on (and I mean that in the most delicious way possible). I was actually taken aback by how amazing it tasted all by its lonesome. Known as the mother of all wheat, farro was an heirloom grain much adored by the ancient Romans. Some even say that it was used as a form of currency! How cool would it be if you could pay for your Christmas presents with fiberlicious whole grains?

Farro is packed with cholesterol-lowering fiber, plant-powered protein, iron, and energizing B vitamins. Just make sure you get the pearled kind that takes about 20-25 minutes to cook.

Moving on to this super salad. This was without a doubt the tastiest salad I've ever made. I don't post that many salads because in all honestly, I don't excel at making salads at home. But this....this one blew me out of the water. It's a real stunner thanks to the gorgeous pomegranate arils and bright green arugula. It tastes even better than it looks! Sounds preposterous, I know. Believe it, friends! Promise me you'll add this to your holiday dinner table.

I don't think a juicy cubed avocado or perhaps some goat cheese would do any harm to this salad, either. Oh, and if de-seeding a pomegranate gives you the heeby jeebies, I used this video as a guide. Just hit that bad boy with the back of a wooden spoon and kiss all your #pomprobs goodbye!

GIVEAWAY: If this post made you want to sprint to your nearest health food store to eat your weight in farro, have no fear. Whole Foods Upper Arlington is giving one lucky reader a healthy holiday gift basket plus a $25 gift card! That's a helluva lot of holiday cheer! To enter, simply leave a comment telling me about your favorite whole grain. For additional entries, follow Hummusapien on Pinterest and like Whole Foods Upper Arlington on Facebook. Leave a separate comment for each entry for up to three entries total. This giveaway is open to Columbus residents only and will end Monday, December 29th at 12am EST. Good luck!

Farro, Pomegranate, and Arugula Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette

• Author: Alexis
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Yield: 3-4 1x
• Category: Salad

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Ingredients

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For the farro:

• ¾ cup farro, rinsed
• 1 ½ cups water
• ¼ tsp salt

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp chopped shallot
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp salt

For the salad:

• 1 cup pomegranate seeds (from 1 pomegranate)
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ⅓ cup walnuts, toasted
• 5oz baby arugula (2 cups)

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Instructions

1. Place rinsed farro, water, and salt in a medium saucepan, Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered for about 25-30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, place all dressing ingredients in a blender (I used my nutribullet), Blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
3. Place walnuts in a small pan over medium heat. Toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. You can also toast them in the oven at 350F. Place in a large bowl. De-seed pomegranate (I like this method.)
4. Add pomegranate to bowl with walnuts. Add cranberries, arugula, cooked farro, and dressing. Stir to combine. Serve over more arugula if desired.

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The winner of the Love Grown Foods giveaway is Alicia C.! Please email me at hummusapien@hotmail.com with your shipping information.