Healthy, hearty and vibrant, this is what I eat for lunch just about every day. It looks rather luxurious; but it’s actually quite inexpensive. Packed with plant protein from the lentils, it’s also full of fiber and nutrient dense. I use green lentils and pearled farro (an Italian grain). Farro has a rich, nutty flavor so I prefer it instead of rice. Be sure to get the pearled version because it has a richer taste than the regular farro. Otherwise, you can always substitute with barley or brown rice. In this recipe, I made several cups of the lentils and several cups of the farro that I store separately in the refrigerator. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy this meal for a few days, and add in the veggies and dressing fresh each day. I’m sure you’ll love this for lunch too!
Directions
If preparing the lentils and farro from scratch: Add the lentils and water to a stockpot; and add the farro and water to another stock pot. Bring each pot to a boil. Once boiling, lower to a simmer with the lids on the pots, but slightly off (to allow steam to rise through and not boil over). Simmer for 25 minutes and set aside to cool. (You might be able to cook together in one pot; but I haven’t done this as sometimes the lentils need a little more time to cook and I don’t want to overcook the farro. I also like to have cooked lentils on hand to add to pasta and other dishes).
Arrange your greens in a bowl or plate. Add a generous amount of the farro and lentils on top of the greens. Top with tomatoes, cucumber, olives, nuts, radish and basil. Drizzle with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and sea salt to taste.
