Recipe: Farro Walnut Salad

You've survived the holidays and now you just want to get on with the new year being healthy-ish. This salad courtesy of Little Pine will see you through Veganuary (the new Dry January).

The recipe provides specific measurements for the base of the dish, which comprises herbed farro and roasted butternut squash. Feel free to tailor the amount for other ingredients to suit your tastes and serving size. We make too many rules for ourselves in January anyway! But if you love to follow rules, go with the suggestion of a "handful" of everything per serving, which will result in a balanced composed salad.

Farro Walnut Salad

Herbed farro (see recipe below)
Roasted butternut squash (see recipe below)
Arugula, chopped
Scallions, white and green parts, sliced
Pomegranate seeds
Toasted walnuts
Chives, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste

Herbed Farro
1 cup farro
5 cups water + 1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chives, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Roasted Butternut Squash
1 small butternut squash
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

For the herbed farro: Cook farro in salted, boiling water until al dente, about 20-25 minutes. Drain well, toss with oil and herbs, and spread on a sheet pan to cool.

For the roasted butternut squash: Peel and seed butternut squash. Cut into a small dice, toss with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until done, about 20 minutes.

Assembling the salad: In a large bowl, toss the herbed farro, roasted squash, pomegranate seeds, chopped arugula, toasted walnuts, chives, and scallions. Squeeze the lemon juice over the salad and toss with olive oil. Zest the orange over the salad, and toss again. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper.