I recently discovered farro and now I can’t get enough. If you never have tried farro before, it’s a chewy grain that’s cooked like pasta and tastes almost like a wheat berry. I love it because of its simple preparation and endless serving possibilities…like this easy and flavorful salad.

Here in Northern California, we are having what feels like an Indian summer. Tomatoes are plentiful still and so are summer fruits such as peaches, cherries and raspberries. For this recipe, I used some of my favorite heirloom cherry tomatoes and I just love their bright colors and sweet taste.

This is one of those “throw it together” salads. You could add mint or basil if you like, and even sub the feta cheese out for goat. I love the tang of feta and the Mediterranean flavors of this salad, though. It’s perfect for a light dinner or packed into Tupperware for lunch the next day!

Farro, Tomato and Chickpea Salad

Jenna Weber from Eat, Live, Run introduces her newfound love for farro into this simple salad of tomatoes and chickpeas. See the full post at the Fresh Tastes blog.

Ingredients

• ½ cup dry farro
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup sliced grape tomatoes
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 tsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Cook the farro in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes, or until el dente. Drain and run over with cold water.
2. Place cooked farro in a large mixing bowl with chickpeas, grape tomatoes and feta cheese. Toss to combine. In another small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and salt. Drizzle dressing over salad and serve.

Yield: 6 servings