Roasted Vegetable and Farro Salad with Za'atar

I recently ordered received some Za'atar from Penzeys Spices and was excited to try it right away.  Za'atar is a blend of sumac, thyme, and sesame seeds and is commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Za'atar is also good on roasted firm or starchy vegetables like potatoes and cauliflower.  The Lebanese like using Za'atar at the breakfast table, so you can try it on eggs, oatmeal, or yogurt.  Za'atar is even great on popcorn!

Nutrition Highlight: Farro (FAHR-roh)

The farro available at Costco (3 lbs. for $7) is the best deal I've seen when compared with the prices at Whole Foods and online.  Farro has a nutty taste and pleasantly chewy texture. It is very difficult to find whole farro, but pearled farro is still nutritious and is just a bit lower in fiber due to the removal of its bran.

Farro is higher in fiber and protein than regular wheat, and is a good source of magnesium, iron, vitamin E, and B vitamins.  Magnesium is important for body functions, such as muscle movement.  A sign of magnesium deficiency is muscle spasms and cramps.  Vitamin E is good for the skin and is an anti-oxidant, and in turn helps prevent cancer.

Another benefit of farro is that its carbohydrates are released more slowly than regular wheat, so your blood glucose levels don't spike suddenly.  This is especially helpful for those who are diabetic.

Cooking Tip

Cook farro in a 2:1 ratio of water to grain. 

This is a good rule of thumb to follow when making farro.  A lot of recipes, including the back of this bag from Costco, call for using more water, but you'll just have to drain the farro afterwards.

Roasted Vegetable and Farro Salad with Za'atar
Printable Recipe

I enjoyed this salad at room temperature with some Pink Lady apple slices for lunch.  I bought the dried figs at Trader Joe's and the farro at Costco.

1/2 c semi-pearled or pearled farro
1 c water

2 medium carrots (about 6 ounces total), scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
4 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 T olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces (1 cup tightly packed) kale leaves, thinly sliced (See Note)

3 small dried Mission figs, stemmed and thinly sliced

Dressing

1/2 T za'atar 

1 T olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp honey

3 T crumbled feta cheese

• Bring farro and water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and lightly simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Drain any excess water, cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes to fluff and absorb any residual moisture.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425.
• Toss the carrots and Brussels sprouts in a medium bowl with 1 T oliveoil and 1/4 tsp salt.  Roast until the Brussels sprouts are caramelized around the edges and the carrots are barely tender (but not soft) when pierced with a fork, 15 minutes. (Some of the thicker carrots took 18). Let cool to room temperature.
• Place the kale in a serving bowl and massage the leaves by picking them up by the handful and squeezing/crumpling them. Repeat for a few minutes, until the kale turns silky and darkens in color. Add the figs, cooked farro and roasted carrots and Brussels sprouts; toss to combine.
• Whisk together the remaining 1T oil, the za'atar, vinegar and honey in a medium bowl to form an emulsified vinaigrette, then stir in the feta. Pour over the salad and toss to incorporate.
• 2-3 servings (I had enough for 2 lunches, plus a little 1/4 c left to top some lettuce for a more traditional tossed salad.)

• Note: to slice the kale, stack the kale leaves, then fold over in half and slice.  I softened the thicker parts of the stems by roasting them for the last 5 minutes of the veggie roast time.