Arugula and Cauliflower Salad with Farro, Feta and Avocado

Stuck in a salad rut? Well, not anymore.

This one has a fantastic variety of delicious and beautiful attributes. Time to bust that salad rut! (That sounds kinda weird, but I’m gonna roll with it.)

Charred cauliflower is a fun and unique salad ingredient. When combined with the nutty farro, a hearty quality is achieved without taking away from the salad’s inherent light/healthiness. Farro is a simple hearty grain with high contents of fiber, protein, and iron. I adore adding it to soups and salads, and I often use it as a substitute for pasta or rice. If you are a farro novice, check out Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro. This cooks up easily and perfectly every time.

A few more bright ingredients and a simple lemon vinaigrette dressing round things out. Look at these pictures … There’s too much delicious harmony in this salad for any type of rut to continue.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
A pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed (I like Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
7 oz. bag arugula
20 pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 ounces feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1 tbsp capers
1 avocado, sliced into thin strips
Simple Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients: 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 shallot minced, 1 garlic clove minced, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp honey, salt and black pepper

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and golden.
Next, prepare the lemon vinaigrette . Combine 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 minced shallot, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp honey, salt and black pepper; mix well. I like to prepare this vinaigrette in a mason jar. Simply combine the ingredients, attach lid, and shake.
Meanwhile, cook farro. In a medium saucepan, combine farro, 3 cups of water (enough water to cover the farro by a couple of inches) and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the farro is tender to the bite but still a little chewy (about 30 minutes). Drain off the excess water and rinse well. Allow farro to drain well to remove as much water as possible. Toss cooked and cooled farro with a small amount of vinaigrette and 2 tbsp fresh parsley. (Note: Check the cooking instructions on the bag of farro you purchased. Shorter or longer cook times may be required depending on the type used.)
In a large serving bowl, toss together arugula and 1/3 cup salad dressing. Add the roasted cauliflower, reserved farro, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and capers.
Top salad with avocado and additional salad dressing if desired.

Servings: 3 as a main dish, 6 as a side dish