low-cal meatless quick

farro and pine nut tabbouleh

►make ahead up to 12 hours

Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 30 minutes Chill: 2 to 12 hours Makes: 4 servings

  • 1 cup farro, rinsed and drained, or cooked barley or coarse ground bulgur
  • 1 tablespoon pine nuts
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped tomato
  • ½ of a medium cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced
  • ⅓ cup snipped fresh parsley
  • ⅓ cup snipped fresh cilantro
  • ⅓ cup snipped fresh mint
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • Thinly sliced or crumbled feta cheese (optional)
  • Lemon wedges (optional)

1. In a large saucepan bring a large amount of lightly salted water to boiling. Stir in farro; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Drain and cool.

2. Meanwhile, heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts; cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted, shaking skillet frequently to ensure even browning. (Pine nuts can burn quickly, so watch them closely.) Remove from skillet; cool.

3. In a large bowl combine farro, pine nuts, tomato, cucumber, parsley, cilantro, mint, and red onion. For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together oil, lemon peel, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over tabbouleh; stir gently to combine. Cover and chill for 2 to 12 hours.

4. If desired, sprinkle each serving with feta cheese. Serve with lemon wedges.

Per serving: 272 cal., 9 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 329 mg sodium, 41 g carb., 5 g fiber, 9 g pro.

Tip

Although cheese adds flavor and protein to salads, they don’t hold well over time. When you make a salad more than 4 hours ahead of serving, wait to add the cheese just before you serve it.