Summer Farro Salad

For the Salad:

• 1 cup farro
• 3 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium fennel bulbs (shaved/sliced thinly)
• 1 large zucchini (diced)
• 1 red pepper
• 3 cups arugula
• 1⁄2 cup parsley (chopped & fresh)
• 1⁄4 cup mint (chopped & fresh)
• 1⁄4 cup pepperoncini chillis
• Handful of pomegranate
• vegan ricotta (or preferred cheese)a lil homemade pesto if you really feel fancy

For the Dressing:

• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and chop your veggies for baking. You can put the pepper on the baking sheet whole or slice it, dice your zucchini, and keep the end part of the fennel and thinly slice (if you cut the bottom part off it wont slice into these pretty flower like shape!)

2. Toss the veggies in oil and place onto a parchment sheet to bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, add farro, water, bay leaves and salt to a deep cooking pot and bring to boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook the farro till tender - about 30 minutes. (you can soak overnight for quicker cooking). Drain any excess water and cool down before using in the salad.

4. Prepare your dressing by adding all ingredients into a bottle and shake it up till all the liquids combine to a creamy texture.

5. In a large cute salad bowl, place the arugula on the bottom, then add half the farro and then layer the rest of the ingredients as you like, lil bit of this lil bit of that and keep doing this scattering evenly across the plate and then add as much of the leftover farro as you like!

6. Lastly, pour over the dressing generously.

7. Say a prayer of gratitude, serve with love, and eat with joy ❤️