farro with asparagus, canellini beans and spinach

A few weeks ago I made lunch plans with a friend - we have lunch about once a week - and decided to forgo the usual lunch spots and make something instead. I wanted something healthy and tasty that both of us would enjoy. I remembered that I had farro in the cabinet, from a previous farro salad experiment, and thought I would use the grain to make a one-dish meal. Spring and asparagus go hand-in-hand (plus, my lunch friend loves grilled asparagus) and beans make it extra hearty and add protein. I served this with a really nice, crusty bread and it made the perfect light lunch! The only really exact part is the farro. Everything else you can improvise!




Farro salad with asparagus, canellini beans and spinach

1 1/4 cups semi-pearled farro
1/2 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (I prefer the oil-packed variety)
1 eight-ounce can cannelini beans
2 cups spinach
chopped basil
chopped parsley
olive oil
salt and pepper

Rinse farro and put in a medium saucepan with 2 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until grains are tender and water is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, drizzle asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill (or roast in the oven) until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan, and chop into 1-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine asparagus, drained beans, chopped sundried tomatoes and red onion, spinach, and cooked farro. The heat from the farro will wilt the spinach slightly. Drizzle with good-quality olive oil, sprinkle over fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

-e

ps - my apologies for the tiny pictures on a few of these posts. I was tinkering with settings on my camera, and accidentally changed to a smaller photo setting. It has been remedied for the future!