Kale Farro Abundance Salad

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This Italian kale farro salad is light but filling. It’s my latest go-to lunch made completely from whole food plant based ingredients

Farro is the secret addition to a salad that will keep you feeling full all day. Farro’s perfectly chewy texture and mild nutty flavor is hearty and filling. I prefer to cook the farro in vegetable stock rather than water for extra flavor.

I love a bowl with tons of toppings, and this kale farro salad is no exception. We’re using Italian vegan feta, cucumber, dried cranberries, baby tomatoes, red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds, and slivered almonds in these photos. But you can substitute any nuts, fruits, and seeds you have on hand.

Raw kale is typically tough and bitter. But when massaged with ripe avocado, the fibers break down and the lettuce transforms into soft, crisp, lightly sweet leaves.

To massage the kale, add the ripe tofu and grab and squeeze handfuls for about two minutes until the leaves start to break down and get evenly coated in the avocado.

Unlike other Italian dressings that use olive oil for the fat, we’re using avocado. So you don’t need to add any oil, just some lemon, salt, and pepper mixed in to the lettuce will do. The Italian seasoned tofu feta also packs tons of flavor, so a complicated dressing is unnecessary.

For extra lemon flavor, lightly zest the lemon just until the white skin – the pith – appears, as pictured above. The pith is very bitter, so leave it out of your zest.

The tofu feta is marinaded in a tangy, creamy, perfectly Italian season dressing. It takes 24-48 hours, so make it ahead of time! Without the feta, the salad will lack the Italian seasonings.

One of the best parts of this Italian kale farro salad is all of the colors! A rainbow plate is a healthy plate 🙂

Kale Farro Abundance Salad

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• Author: Nina | Tofu Test Kitchen
• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 30
• Total Time: 35 minutes

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Description

Light, flavorful, and filling – the perfect healthy lunch that keeps you full!

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Ingredients

• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup uncooked farro
• 10 oz kale, destemmed and torn into bit sized pieces
• 1 1/2 ripe avocados
• zest from 1 lemon plus 2 tbsp lemon juice
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 cup baby tomatoes
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins
• 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds
• Italian vegan feta, to top

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Instructions

1. Bring stock to a boil, add farro, and reduce heat to simmer for 20-40 minutes. The timing depends on your brand of farro, but it typically takes about 30 minutes. Taste test for doneness – it should be softened but chewy.
2. In a large bowl, massage the avocado into the kale by grabbing handfuls and squeezing. It will take about 2 mins to break down and soften the leaves.
3. Add lemon zest, juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.
4. Mix in red onion, cucumber, baby tomatoes, cranberries, seeds, and nuts. Top with Italian vegan feta. 

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Notes

I like the flavor that vegetable stock adds to the farro, but you can substitute 3 cups water, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1/2 tsp salt.