HARVEST ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE SALAD WITH FARRO

We are getting oh so close to the official start of fall, and I am so ready to get my oven operating around the clock, how about you? Some of the essential foods of the fall are root vegetables, and one of the best ways to prepare them is simply roasting in a super hot oven. I like a combination of earthy yams, red and golden beets.

The roasting really enhances the flavor of the vegetables, making them tender with a hint of sweetness. One way to boost the health benefits of these veggies are to toss them with fresh kale and lemon garlic dressing, yum! This harvest roasted root vegetable salad has all of the elements of delicious autumn inspired flavors, so satisfying and healthy, you’re in for a treat!

Oh, beets. I wasn’t always fond of you, especially when I thought your existence merely came from opening up a can. I was about 12 years old when I tried my first “real” fresh bite from a garden roasted beet. I was apprehensive at first but was transitioning out of my picky phase and willing to give it a try. I was blown away by how tender and sweet beets could be, I’ve been a big fan ever since! I chose to use a combination of red and golden beets because they have slightly different flavors and I love the pop of colors in the salad.

So what other goodies are packed into each bite of this salad? It’s all about balancing different textures and tastes. There is sweet-tart dried cranberries, crunchy saltedMarcona almonds, tender baby kale and wholesome farro. Each colorful forkful is nutrient packed and full of flavor.

So if you’ve taken a peek at the recipe, you’ll see that one step is to roast whole garlic cloves with the root vegetables. Roasted garlic is foodie gold! It creates this buttery texture with sweet and earthy notes, instead of the pungent sting from raw garlic. The roasted garlic gets whisked together with fresh lemon, parsley, chives, olive oil and a pinch or salt and pepper. Simple, fresh and a bright dressing for your hearty salad.

This salad is one of those meals that is guilt free, flavor and nutrient packed! I’ve been adding farro to as many dishes that I can like my hearty garden vegetable farro soup because it’s high in fiber and a good source of iron and protein, nutrition high five. My family enjoyed this salad with a lean and healthy pork tenderloin and it was such a satisfying meal. Happy eating!

TIP: What are the different ways to cook beets?
Depending on how much time you have or flavor and texture you desire, you can cook beets in four ways; fast, slow roast, boil, or steam. Slow roasting whole beets at 425°F for 45 to 60 minutes yield a fork tender product that still needs peeling once cooled. To speed this up, you can peel and cut the beets into 1/2-inch cubes with oil, salt and pepper like in this recipe at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes. A little bit messier but much quicker. An even faster method is cutting the beets in 1-inch cubes and boiling them in salted simmering water for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Lastly, you can also steam 1/2-inch cubes for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. (Source: Martha Stewart)

 

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HARVEST ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE SALAD WITH FARRO

Author: Jessica Gavin

Serves: 4 servings

 

Harvest roasted root vegetable salad with farro is a hearty and healthy dish. Tender beets, yams, kale, and farro are tossed in a fresh lemon garlic dressing.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound yam or sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½ –inch cubes
• 1 pound beets, peeled and cut into ½ –inch cubes
• 5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt, as needed
• Freshly ground pepper, as needed
• 1 cup uncooked semi-pearled farro
• 2 cups baby kale
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup almonds, Marcona recommended
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Line two small baking sheets with foil. In a medium sized bowl, toss sweet potatoes and garlic cloves with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Arrange onto one of the baking sheets in a single layer. Add beets to the same bowl, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Arrange on the other baking sheet in one layer. Roast vegetables, turning over once halfway through cooking, about 20 minutes until tender.
3. Cook 1cup farro in a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low, cook until tender but not mushy, about 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Drain the farro and put it into a large bowl. Add in 1 tablespoons olive oil and toss to combine. Add sweet potatoes, beets, kale, cranberries, and almonds. Toss gently to combine.
5. When cool enough to handle, remove the soft inner part of the garlic and put it into a small bowl. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to the garlic, and mash them together. Add the parsley and chive. Slowly add in 2 tablespoons olive oil and whisk to combine. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
6. Add the garlic lemon dressing to the salad and toss. Enjoy!

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About chef imado

Hello! My Name Is Imad Qaidi, Cooking Holds a certificate of the Moroccan state and I have all the qualifications of the traditional and the modern cuisine of various well-known in the world of cooking states, Best Regards Admin.