Fast, easy, delicious, and nutritious, this salad makes a great lunch, dinner, or picnic dish.  This recipe make a large batch — enough for 6-8 servings — and it keeps in the refrigerator for several days.  It’s a great dish to make early in the week and pack for lunch each day.

Ingredients

2 cups farro, rinsed
6 cups vegan vegetable broth
1 15 oz can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise if small or quartered if large, or two medium size ripe tomatoes, diced
1 medium size red or orange pepper, diced
1 packed cup of parsley, minced
3/4 teaspoon table salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 to 1 cup of prepared Italian salad dressing (I like Newman’s Own Organics) (or make your own vinaigrette)

Method

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil and add the farro.  Lower the heat so that the farro cooks briskly until done, between 20 and 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Use the instructions on the package for guidance.  The farro should be cooked until it is al dente, chewy and not too soft.  Drain and set aside in a colander.

In the meantime, in a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, tomatoes, red or orange pepper, and parsley and mix well.  Stir in the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

When the farro is cooked and drained, add it to the bowl and mix well.  Then add the salad dressing.  Start with a half cup and add more, a couple of tablespoons at a time, until the salad has the desired level of dressing.

Check seasonings, and add more salt and pepper, as needed.

Enjoy!