Good day, friends!  I hope your weekend was what a long-Thanksgiving weekend should be…relaxing, fun and yummy-food-filled!  And now, back to the grind.  But let me tell you, this salad is a mighty fine way to start that grind.

If we are Instagram buddies you may have seen my recent obsession with the Kale + Broccoli Salad from Lunds and Byerlys, a local grocer around these parts.  And you guys, the obsession is legit.  LE-GIT.  You know I’m a sucker for super-grain farro to begin with, especially in salad form.   But besides my beloved farro, this salad just has gobs of goodies in it:  kale, broccoli, parmesan, apricots, sun dried tomatoes.  Weird combo, no?  No!  You wont believe what that flavor/texture hodge podge does…it will knock your socks off! 

So in true, obsessed fashion, I had to find a way to make it at home.  That stuff isn’t cheap…and man I love a good challenge.  So I present to you my version.  It’s not an exact replica but guess what…shhh…dont tell anyone….mine will give that store bought version one heck of a run for its money.

The vinaigrette is tart and sweet and tangy and zippy and all kinds of wonderful.  And combine that with hearty, slightly chewy farro, sweet apricots, tangy sun dried tomatoes, sharp shredded parmesan, bright spinach and tender-crisp broccoli and duuuudeeee.  It just speaks to me.  My salad soul mate.

It makes a perfect side dish to any protein and the best part is that it’s one of those dishes that does wonderfully with age-so leftovers are a total score.  Make a big batch at the beginning of the week and you’re set for lunches for as long as it will last you-which, if you’re anything like me, may not last as long as you might think-it’s too good to ignore!

Spinach, Broccoli + Farro Salad

notes: this is wonderful with chopped kale leaves instead of spinach-use whichever one you have on hand/prefer.  if you are making this to have on hand all week I recommend adding the spinach as you eat it-it keeps the spinach crisp and fresh.  anchovy paste can be found in a tube in nearly every market….it is a wonderful addition to so many dressings, soups, vinaigrettes, etc-I always have it on hand.

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette 

1/2 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

2 Cloves Garlic, grated or pressed

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Anchovy Paste

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1 Tablespoon Mayonaise

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt + Black Pepper, to taste

For the Salad

2 Cups Farro

4 Cups Broccoli Florets

4 Cups Packed Baby Spinach Leaves

1/2 Cup Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes

1/2 Cup Chopped Dried Apricots

1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions

For the Vinaigrette 

Place first six ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Slowly stream in olive oil, while constantly whisking, until well combined.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper and add additional honey if you prefer it sweeter.

For the Salad

Cook farro according to package directions, drain and rinse with cool water.

Place broccoli in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute or until bright green and crisp-tender; drain and place in a bowl with ice water until cool-remove and pat dry with a towel.

Place farro, broccoli, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, apricots and parmesan in a large bowl.  Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette and toss to coat.  Add more vinaigrette as needed.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.  Serves 4-6 as a side.