Spring Mint, Chard, Cherry & Pistachio Grain Salad
Hello spring!
Nothing says spring to me like Swiss chard and fresh mint. After a winter full of soups and stews and heavier foods, I’m ready to move on to something lighter and brighter. And I just love seeing the vibrant stems of rainbow chard poking up in my garden.
a less bitter green
Swiss chard is not a usual leafy green used in salad, but I find it to be really delicious - somewhere between kale and lettuce with an inherent salty flavor.
Interestingly, Swiss chard is less bitter in its raw form compared to cooked…so if you’re struggling to incorporate this detoxifying bitter green into your routine this salad could be your ticket! I find the trick is chopping it finely enough so that it feels more lettuce-like in your mouth. The cigar method laid out below will help you navigate that.
Move over, kale and romaine!
Remember that mixing up your salad greens is an important way to give your body the variety of phytonutrients that you need. You can’t eat kale all of the time. Swiss chard is a great way to get magnesium, vitamin K, potassium, vitamin C and fiber into your diet. Plus the color will have you at hello.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup farro, rinsed
2 + 1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 red onion, sliced finely
1 large or 2 small bunches swiss chard, sliced into ribbons
1/4 cup fresh mint, diced finely
2 cups fresh cherries (pitted and halved) or 1/4 cup dried cherries (diced finely)
1/2 cup chopped pistachios, toasted
Easy Dressing
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt + freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Cook farro on stove top or in rice cooker with water and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Soak sliced red onion in water to ease the intensity, if desired.
Finely chop the colorful hearty stems of the chard. Stack the remaining green leaves and roll them up like a cigar and then slice into thin ribbons.
Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Place drained red onion, mint, cherries, chard, pistachios and farro in a larger bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat.
Enjoy!
Photo credit Lindsay Donnelly