Farro Salad with Kale and Beets

Is it obvious that we started getting a CSA share again?

I asked Pinterest what to do with beets, and it led me here.

I need to work on my beet-roasting technique. I quartered it and roasted it at 400 for 40 minutes, but then when I cut it up, it was too tough. So I tossed the small beet cubes in olive oil and salt and roasted them for another 15 minutes, and THEN it was perfect.

My substitutions from the original recipe were based solely upon what I had:

-kale instead of beet tops

-parmesan instead of pecorino or goat cheese (but goat cheese sounds amazing)

-parsley instead of basil (but I look forward to the return of basil season)

Also, I used a fancy-pants combination of regular kosher salt and maldon salt. Maldon salt is the essential final touch.

The Recipe: (adapted from Feasting at Home)

2-3 beets, roasted and cubed

2 c cooked farro

1/2 bunch kale or other greens, chopped

1 tb olive oil

1 shallot or 1/4 red onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c basil or parsley, minced

1/2 c walnut or hazelnut pieces

3 tb olive oil

1 1/2 tb balsamic vinegar

1/4 c goat cheese or parmesan cheese

kosher salt, maldon salt, and pepper to taste

Saute kale with 1 tb olive oil, shallot, and garlic.
In a bowl, combine kale mixture with all other ingredients. Season to taste.

The Verdict:

Overall grade: A

Overall reason: So healthy! Pretty quick and easy once the beets are cooked.

Time to prepare: 1 hour including beet-roasting time

Kid quote: "I LOVE farro so much. It's pretty much like candy."

Comments

Kitchen renovation!

BEFORE: AFTER: Still to come: a beautiful new induction range and some wood shelving on the left side, above the backsplash. And maybe the shelving unit on the wall facing the cabinets should be green, but we're going to live with a while before making that decision.

Pickled radishes

I made those! When the CSA box hands you radishes, you eat one. Then you try to give the rest to the neighbors. Then, left with no other option, you pickle them. Then you discover that the pickled radishes are really good. I followed this super-simple method from My Korean Kitchen . I picked it because it had good reviews on Pinterest, but mostly because it was easy, and I wasn't willing to dedicate a lot of time and effort to these things that none of us really liked. But it turns out that they are delicious. As is clear from the original recipe, these are good with Korean food. They are also good on Vietnamese rice bowls. And they are PERFECT on salad with hard boiled egg and honey-mustard dressing. And the toddler ate half of them in one sitting, just as a snack. We might actually need to buy more radishes. The Recipe: 1 bunch radishes 1 c water 1 c sugar 1 c white vinegar Pinch of salt Thinly slice the radish bulbs and place them in gla...

Spicy Tomato Jam

Little pot of bubbling goodness seeks lentil patties, sweet potato fries, or pretty much anything else. I recently made this recipe from Crumb Blog for lentil patties with tomato jam. The lentil patties were pretty good, but the tomato jam was really something to write home about. It's one of those foods that makes you feel warm, even when it's cold. It has just the right balance of sweetness, acidity, and spice. The mustard seeds are a must (haha, must ard seeds). Their crunch, and the little burst of toasty peppery flavor that follows, are amazing in contrast to the rest of the flavors. The next time you're tempted to put ketchup on something, consider this instead. I have a little bit of this gold left over in the freezer. I'm thinking I may thin it out with vegetable broth and use it as a sauce for a stir-fry. Stay tuned for the results. The only change I made to this recipe was upping the amount of mustard seeds. I think 1 tsp is the perfect a...

Adventures of a healthy-ish pseudo-foodie

Search This Blog