Lentil and Farro Salad

I saw a recipe similar to this years ago in a magazine, but it called for tuna. I figured the lentils could stand in for the tuna and added farro for the nice chewy texture. Turns out, I love the combo of sun dried tomatoes and capers with the lentils and farro.

Lentil and Farro Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup of lentils
1 bay leaf

1 cup of farro

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, diced small

2 stalks of celery, diced small
3 tbsp capers, drained
1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
1/8 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Put the lentils and the bay leaf in a  medium sized saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer while covered for 20 minutes. Then add the farro, be sure there is still enough water to cover and add more water if needed. Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes. Test both the lentils and the farro to see if they are cooked through. You want them all dente but not crunchy at all in the middle. Once they are done, drain off the excess water, let cool, remove the bay leaf, and reserve.

Add the sun dried tomatoes to the lentils and farro and mix well. This coats them with the olive oil so they don't soak up the dressing, which means ultimately you use less mayo. Then add the celery, capers, artichoke, parsley, garlic powder, and mayonnaise. Stir to combine, taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.

This is great as a salad, side dish, or on top of crackers or toast.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 98 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  200 Calories from Fat  20

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  2.2g 3%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  1mg 0%

Sodium  149mg 6%

Potassium  462mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates  36.5g 12%

Dietary Fiber  14.2g 57%

Sugars  1.5g

Protein  10.2g

Vitamin A 6% • Vitamin C 13% Calcium 3% • Iron 17%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet