Mixed Green Salad with Farro, Beets and Raspberries

My body has grown accustomed to having fresh fruits and veggies every day and I notice such a difference in my energy level when I'm not eating as well. After a relaxing and indulgent weekend in Montauk, full of oysters and lobster mac and brie, I knew I needed something healthy...but still tasty.

I was actually inspired by a salad we ordered at Coast, our favorite restaurant in Montauk.

It was a simple mixed green salad with beets, raspberries, farro, deep fried blue cheese and dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. Such easy ingredients and I knew I could put my own healthier twist on it. I also had some left over parsley and feta vinaigrette that was inspired by a recipe provided by my lovely boss, Leigh. I knew this dressing was the perfect topping to my simple salad.

So here's what you'll need:

Salad:

1 package of organic mixed green salad

2 Cooked Beets

20 organic raspberries

Pecans (toasted on low heat for about 5 minutes)

1/4 cup of cooked farro

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
3/4 cup of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 shallot
1 tbsp of oregano
1/4 cup of parsley
1/4 cup of reduced fat feta
Salt and pepper 

For the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. As you begin to blend the ingredients, slowly add the olive oil until it becomes thick. 

Note: You don't need to use all of the dressing on this salad. You can save it for about a week and use it on other salads you make. You'll need about a half a cup for this salad. 

For the salad, combine all of the ingredients together and toss with the dressing. I added the farro when it was still warm because I like when the greens wilt a little but you can wait until it cools down.

This was absolutely delicious and so healthy. Farro is relatively new to me and I'm just finding out a lot about its benefits. It packs 7 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein per serving! It's also a complex carb, meaning that it keeps your energy levels stable so you don't crash. Combine that with the cleansing effects of beets and you have the perfect salad to help get you back on track after an indulgent weekend.

Enjoy!