Gluten-Free Charlie Bird-Inspired Salad
I absolutely adore Ina Garten’s take on Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad—but sometimes I crave something just as flavorful, without all the added fat, and that happens to be both gluten- and dairy-free. So, of course, I set out to create my own version!
Apple cider for the win
One of the most brilliant elements of the original recipe is the way the grain is cooked: in a mix of apple cider and water with a bay leaf, then finished with lemon and a generous drizzle of olive oil. This technique infuses the grain with incredible flavor and makes it easy to prep the salad ahead of time—just keep the raw ingredients separate and toss everything together when you're ready to serve. Perfect for a weekday lunch or a quick dinner.
Use bone broth when cooking grains for protein-infused flavor
That said, I found the original version a bit heavy on the EVOO. So I lightened things up by swapping in bone broth for the water when cooking the grains. This not only boosts the flavor, but also adds collagen and protein, giving the grain a nutritional upgrade. Plus, letting the grain cool completely before serving increases its resistant starch content—great for gut health and for lowering the glycemic impact.
My current favorite grain to use is wild rice, but feel free to experiment with whatever whole grains you love most.
And of course—don’t forget to top it off with your favorite protein!
Prep Time 15 minutes + time to cook grain
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
1 cup wild rice
1 cup bone broth
1 cup apple cider
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup salted, toasted pistachios
2 cups tomatoes, halved
2 cups radishes, thinly sliced
6 cups arugula
1 cup mint, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup Follow Your Heart feta-style crumbles, or other non-dairy cheese of choice
Top with your favorite protein for a complete meal
Directions
Place the wild rice, bone broth, apple cider, bay leaves, pinch of salt and pepper in a rice cooker or medium saucepan and cook as directed until farro is tender. (If you’re cooking stove top, add a little more bone broth if all the liquid is absorbed before the wild rice is tender.) Discard the bay leaves.
Meanwhile, in a small measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir into the warm wild rice and set aside to cool.
Add the remaining ingredients in an artful way to a large shallow bowl or plate. When ready to serve add the wild rice and stir to combine. You can keep the cold salad ingredients separate from the wild rice mixture for several days to make easy weekday lunches.
Enjoy!
