Sesame Seed Farro Bowl with Cucumbers

In my search to use more whole grains, I came across the cookbook the whole food kitchen by amy chaplin.  This recipe uses one of my favorite grains, farro, as the basis for the salad.  The best part is that the only cooking required is the farro and it can be done in advance since it is a room temperature or cold salad.  The sesame seeds in this recipe make it smell deliciously nutty (though there aren't any nuts) and the soy sauce adds a bit of a salty flavor with more depth.  It also keeps well so you can eat this again and several days later after cutting up additional tomatoes and cucumbers.  It has become one of the salads for the summer as I have already made it several times.  If you like farro, you should try this one out.

Parsley Farro Salad with Sesame Seeds
2 1/2 cups cooked farro, cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar with pomegranate (or just red wine vinegar)
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon light soy sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon tamari)
3/4 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 scallion, finely chopped (more for garnish or reserve some for garnish)
1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley (and a little more for garnish)
1 - 1 2/c cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, diced
Additional olive oil or flax oil drizzled on top to serve (if desired)

Place cooled farro in a medium-large bowl.  Sprinkle red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, soy sauce and olive oil over the farro and stir to combine.  Add toasted sesame seeds, parsley, and scallions.  Mix again.  Season to taste with additional soy sauce.  Spoon into bowls and top with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, additional parsley, additional scallions.  Drizzle (if desired) with flax or olive oil and serve.  (Serves 3-4)

Red Quinoa and White Bean Salad with Parsley and Lemon

Quinoa has to be one of my favorite grains.  It is light and fluffy, versatile, colorful and delicious.  You can add stock when you are cooking and give it instant flavor.  You can add it to pancakes to make it healthier and heartier.  I also have a cache of white beans, mostly canned, but dried ones as well.  This salad adapted from Plenty More by Ottolenghi combines two of my always in stock items for a pleasant, easy salad.

Red Quinoa and White Bean Salad with Parsley and Lemon

2/3 cup red quinoa

1 small bunch flat leafed parsley, cut finely

4 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 can (about 15 oz.) cannellini (or other white beans), drained and rinsed

1/2 large lemon, zest the hald you are using, juice the half as well to add to salad

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and black pepper to taste

Bring a sauce pan of water to boil.  Add the quinoa and simmer for about 12-14 minutes until light and fluffy (or according to package instructions).  Drain and rinse in cold water and set aside to dry completely.  Once dry transfer quinoa to a large salad bowl.  Add the shredded parsley, green onions, beans, lemon, allspice, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste.  Stir together.  Let rest for about 5 minutes to let flavors come together.  Taste again and adjust seasonings.

Shredded Salad with savory cabbage

The first cooking blog that I started reading was 101cookbooks.  I still get the email stating when new posts are there and I love the ideas that Heidi uses to create her recipes.  It was partly due to her website that I decided to start my blog.  This is recipe based on one that was on her blog not long ago.  Since the time change and the cooler days, I have been craving more greens.  I tend not to be very good with eating sufficient greens during the winter, so I always appreciate it when I come across a recipe which I want to make at home.  For some reason in winter, I am more willing for someone else to make it for me.  This salad is quite diverse and you can switch up the ingredient depending on what you have on hand or what you are craving.  I have made it twice already and varied it both times and it still came out excellent.  Give it a try...you'll like it!

Shredded Salad

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil

2 tablespoon honey

sea salt

a small bunch of cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup roasted and salted peanuts

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

2 1/2 cups shredded savory cabbage (or any kind of cabbage you like)

2/3 cup herbs, chopped (I used basil on time and parsley another time)

2-3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2-3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (though I think pumpkin seeds would be good too)

In a medium bowl, stir together olive oil, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon honey, and a pinch or two of sea salt.  Add the cilantro, peanuts and scallions.  Mix to combine.

In a large bowl stir together shredded cabbage, herbs, and celery.  In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon honey.  Stir to combine.  Pour over the cabbage mixture and stir to coat.  Add half of the cilantro mixture and toss to distribute throughout.  Place the remaining half on top of the salad.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.