Fall Farro, Kale, & Squash Salad

If you've been following me for a bit, it's no surprise that I'm back with another seasonal farro salad. It's simply my favorite grain to add some extra body, texture, and heartiness to any meal, and it's my secret to get just about anyone to LOVE salad.

If you're new to the farro game, fear not. It's just as easy to cook as rice, and it's incredibly versatile. You can also check out my Winter Nourish Bowl, Peach & Farro Summer Salad, and Farro, Apple, & Arugula Salad for tasty options to add into your recipe repertoire as well.

For this autumn-inspired combo, we have all of our bases covered. The more additions the better in my book, so I didn't hold back. Throw in some roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, goat cheese, Marcona almonds, pomegranate seeds, and you're in business.

Along with the farro, the squash really adds great "bulk", plus it's a fall staple you can easily find. Plus, squash is full of essential vitamins and minerals (including a ton of vitamin C) and gut-loving fiber.

In addition, kale is another winter veggie I encourage you to start adding into your diet as the seasons change. It's a "superfood" for a reason and one that you can enjoy in so many ways - with this bowl perhaps being the tastiest of them all.

Toss it all together in this easy tahini dressing which provides the perfect creaminess to help meld all of the flavors together and stand up to the heartiness of the kale.

Serve it up for the whole family or make the components separately for an easy meal prepped lunch this week!

Ingredients

• 4 cups finely chopped kale
• 1/2 cup farro, cooked according to package directions
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/3 cup Marcona almonds (can sub for pecans, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper

Lemon Tahini Dressing

• ¼ cup runny tahini
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons water, more to thin if needed
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add cubed butternut squash to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for ~25-30 minutes, tossing halfway, until squash is soft and golden.

2. Cook farro according to package directions.

2. Make Lemon Tahini dressing by adding all of the ingredients to a small bowl and whisking together. Adjust seasonings to taste, and add more water to thin if needed.

3. When squash and farro are cooked (cooling optional depending on if you'd like a warm or chilled salad), add these along with all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl. Toss in dressing, and enjoy!