Alright guys, you asked for it, so here it is. Can I get a drum roll please….

The protein packed, whole grain goodness, veggie lovers delight, whopper of a salad that uses avocado as a dressing! Can I get an amen to this beautiful masterpiece?

This recipe happened by accident this past week when Justin was out of town. Because I hate to cook for one, I was dreading the task of lugging out all the pots and pans to make dinner for one. Instead, I used ONE sauté pan- you know the one that gets used so frequently it never actually gets put away. The good news is, you can always double or triple the recipe and have leftovers for week day lunches and future dinners.

Another reason why I love this dish so much, besides the level of ease it takes to make it, is the summer-lightness of it. What I mean is this dish doesn’t make you feel heavy after eating it. It’s full of energy, protein, and good fats, making it a complete meal without the added sugars or weight of excess carbohydrates. 

If you’re asking yourself what farro is and why I used it instead of just good ol’ fashioned brown rice, you may be surprised to find that it is an ancient whole grain that contains some heart healthy benefits. Protein, fiber, and magnesium are among some of its health benefits. It also has a nutty flavor, yet chewy texture- making it quite the palate pleaser in my book. Furthermore, this grain is wheat based so I warn against consuming farro if you have celiac disease or sensitivities to gluten.

The dressing I made for this zesty salad uses an avocado as the foundation, making it creamy and full of omega-3 fatty acids for heart healthy benefits. If you have a small food processor, blender, or Vitamix you may want to whip it out when tackling the dressing.

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INGREDIENTS

Serves 2 

For the Salad

• 1/2 cup uncooked farro
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• ~12 large shrimp, raw
• Salt and Pepper
• 8 cherry tomatoes, chopped OR 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup cilantro, diced
• 4 large green leaf lettuce leaves

For the Dressing

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp Cholula sauce
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• Lime zest and juice from 1 lime

 

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RECIPE

1. Before beginning the salad, prepare the dressing.
   1. In a food processor or Vitamix, combine the red bell pepper, avocado, olive oil, Cholula sauce, and cilantro. Mix on high until blended and texture is creamy.
   2. Fold in the cayenne pepper and lime zest + juice.
2. In a small sauce pot, cook the farro according to the directions on the packet. This should take about 10-15 minutes. While the farro is cooking, move on to the shrimp…
3. In a small sauté pan (over medium heat) toss the green bell pepper with the olive oil to begin cooking for a few minutes.
4. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper or other preferred seasonings.
5. After the shrimp is cooked, add the tomatoes and cilantro to the pan. Turn the heat off and cover with a lid to keep hot.
6. After the farro is done cooking, add the drained black beans to the pot. Turn the heat source off and let the beans warm up with the farro.
7. Serve with the farro/black bean mixture on top of green leaf lettuce with shrimp mixture on top. Dress the salad with the avocado dressing.
8. Enjoy!

 

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This is an original Healthy Chew recipe, all rights reserved.

All photos used were taken by and for The Healthy Chew, all rights reserved.

 

~Stephanie

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