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I had some fears about starting this food blog. Would readers (other than my family & friends) visit our website? Would they be interested in our recipes? Would readers want to come back and read more? Would I figure out the technology of all this…DSLR camera settings, WordPress, widgets, SEO, link parties, ad networks, and don’t even get me started on web design…I could go on!
But my biggest fear was actually gaining weight. Over the last year-plus, I’ve lost almost 40 pounds of post-baby, not-taking-care-of-myself weight. No magic bullet – I simply ate less, ate better foods, and exercised more – and the weight came off.
I was afraid that as we started to make some of our most-requested recipes (which also happen to be some of our most decadent recipes) in order to take photos for the blog, would I have the willpower to eat just a little bit of our creations so I didn’t gain the weight back?
Luckily, the answer has been yes (so far at least!) and the truth is that we don’t eat those decadent desserts or cream-rich sauces every day. Most days we are preparing recipes like this Farro Salad with Grapes, Goat Cheese and Tarragon Vinaigrette – and that has helped us enjoy healthy meals while still enjoying some delicious flavors! This recipe is originally from Weight Watchers* and can be found here.
If you’ve never had farro – I really encourage you to give this delicious and healthy grain a try! We first had farro in Italy on our honeymoon and fell in love with the light and nutty flavor. Farro is sometimes confused with wheat (it closely resembles wheatberry in appearance) but is really a grain all its own, according to an article from The New York Times found here.
Farro can be a little difficult to find in the supermarket, but we typically purchase it in the bulk food section at Whole Foods Market, or you can also order it here
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*Disclaimer: I am not compensated by Weight Watchers for this post, nor am I endorsing their program by posting this recipe. I just happen to be a fan of their program based on the success that I achieved following their diet program. Their program worked for me, but results for you may vary.
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Farro Salad with Grapes, Goat Cheese and Tarragon Vinaigrette
Helpful hint: While the farro is cooking, prepare the grapes, radicchio, celery and scallions per the ingredient list, as well as mixing the dressing.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole farro
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 cup red seedless grapes, halved
- 3/4 cup radicchio, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, sliced
- 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon white wine or champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- To cook the farro, in a medium saucepan, combine farro, ¼ teaspoon salt and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until farro is tender, about 60-70 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- While the farro is cooking, also prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the tarragon, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper.
- After the farro has cooled a bit, in a large bowl, combine farro, grapes, radicchio, celery and scallions.
- Pour vinaigrette over the farro mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle goat cheese on top and serve.
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You may also like:
Farro with Butternut Squash and Baby Kale
Lentils with Brown Rice and Feta
Wheatberry Salad with Cranberries, Feta & Orange Vinaigrette
I’m going to try this recipe next week with wheat berries instead of farro – which are very chewy, tasty and have lots of fiber. And, congrats for losing so much weight!
Thanks Sandi! Let us know how it comes out with wheat berries as a substitute! (I’m sure it will be just as good…)