Arugula & Farro Wheat Salad with Pesto Dressing: The Perfect Heart Healthy Spring Salad!

If you are looking for a new twist on salads, this is a great healthy option that is loaded with flavor!  Pesto is a great dressing for salads- not just pasta- and we must admit, we are hooked 🙂

Whether it’s for one, family dinner or even great for a party or BBQ , it will be sure to please!  Try left over vegetables from your previous meal and toss them in, really, anything goes…

What you need:

• Fresh Arugula
• Toasted Farro Wheat
• Baby Spinach
• Grape Tomatoes
• Grilled Asparagus
• Onion
• Pesto

Farro

Farro is a whole grain and soft on the outside, a bit firm and crunchy on the inside and worth it to give it a try!  Simply pour grain in pot and cover with water (a couple of inches above the grain) and bring to a boil, then simmer for about an hour.  You don’t need to soak them but you certainly could to increase your body’s ability to digest it.

Pesto

There are so many ways to make a really, really good pesto so play around and Try it!  We have a favorite that we talk about HERE   but here is another suggestion:

(for a salad and some extra)

• 1 cup of basil or 1/2 cup basil, 1/2 parsley or cilantro
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp pine nuts or walnuts

Throw in a Vitamix or blender and Ta-Da!  Your new salad dressing 🙂