Healthy red and green meal-in-a-bowl salad, with spinach, berries and farro
Winter salads can be a challenge, but really, there's so much available as long as you stay away from rock-hard, plastic-looking pinkish tomatoes, overpriced asparagus, and other foods best eaten when they're in season in the summer.
This meal-in-a-bowl began as a color study in reds and greens, with a handful of farro thrown in for texture (you could use barley or medium-size couscous instead). Instead of spinach, try kale, or a mix of lettuces and dark leafy greens. Swap dried cranberries for dried cherries, if you wish. This dish filled with fruits and vegetables couldn't be easier, or more satisfying, either as a side salad or a meatless main course.
Healthy red and green meal-in-a-bowl salad, with spinach, berries and farro {vegan}
From the pantry, you'll need: farro, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, agave nectar, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, fresh black pepper.
Serves 4; can be multiplied.
Ingredients
For the salad:
1/2 cup farro cooked in 1 cup water (according to package directions), then drained
8 oz baby spinach
1 avocado, diced
1 small cucumber, diced
1 cup strawberries, trimmed and halved lengthwise (or quartered, if large)
1 red-skinned apple, diced (leave the skin on)
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries
For the balsamic vinaigrette:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup mild agave nectar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil (not fruity)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
Directions
Toss all of the ingredients for the salad into a large bowl.
Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake, shake, shake until the dressing is emulsified (thickened). You'll have lots of extra dressing to store in the refrigerator for future salads.
Pour just enough of the dressing on to moisten the salad ingredients without drowning them.
Serve at room temperature.
More winter salads:
Double broccoli salad with almonds and Sriracha yogurt dressing, from The Perfect Pantry
Curried chicken pasta salad with apricots and cashews, from The Perfect Pantry
Winter salad with citrus vinaigrette, from Love and Olive Oil
Green apple, celery, and walnut salad with lemon-mustard vinaigrette, from Kalyn's Kitchen
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That looks delicious! I'd love a salad like this for lunch every day, especially if you would come over and make it for me.
Kalyn makes me fantasize a grand Perfect Pantry potluck! So many wonderful recipes from Lydia and Soupchick... What a feast that would be!
So, when I make this I will consider myself joining a virtual table with all of us.
Kalyn, Susan: I would love to do this. Let's make it happen.
Lydia, this is just the best! I made it tonight for dinner with neighbors and they asked that I send it on to them. We've started something! Go panthers!
Peggy, I'm keeping fingers crossed for your team! And I'm so glad your neighbors liked this pretty salad.