Farro Dried Fruit Garbanzo Salad

I can’t tell you how many conferences or meetings where healthy eating and nutrition are the focus and yet when it came time for meals and snacks, you had to wonder what the organizers were thinking.

Well, I have to say that at the recent Whole Grains: Breaking Barriers conference, in Boston, sponsored by Oldways and the Whole Grains Council, the eats and the agenda were a match made in heaven. The offerings always included plenty in the way of nutritious whole grains.

This grain salad is just one example of recipes on the Whole Grains Council website. There’s plenty more so be sure to check it out.

The grain, farro, is an ancient strain of wheat that has been popular in Italy for many centuries. Look for farro in Italian markets but if you can’t find it there or at a local health food or specialty store, you can substitute wheat berries instead but cooking times will vary.

This recipe is courtesy of Executive Chef Paul Lynch of Minneapolis.

Farro Dried Fruit Garbanzo Salad

Makes 10 servings

For Salad
3 cups farro, cooked in salted water, yielding 6 cups
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried apricot — diced 1/4″
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup pinenuts — toasted
1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked
1 cup cinnamon citrus vinaigrette (see below)
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped

For Cinnamon Citrus Vinaigrette
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp orange zest
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp honey
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/8 tsp. salt

1. Cook farro in boiling salted water until tender to the bite.
2. Drain, toss with dried fruits while still hot. Cool.
3. When cool, toss with ONE CUP of the vinaigrette (not all of it!), garbanzo beans, mint & pine nuts.

Nutrition information per serving
• Calories: 392
• Protein: 10 grams
• Fat: 18 grams
• Saturated fat: 3 grams
• Carbohydrate: 47 grams
• Dietary fibre: 10 grams
• Sodium: 250 milligrams