Spinach and Farro Salad with Citrus Ginger Dressing

My niece is unfortunately one of the 2020 covid grads.  Since there is no “official” graduation celebration, we are making our own.  One of the things her mother decided on was to make a book of memories, advice and wishes for her written by everyone in the family.

This project brought back a lot of memories.

One that I had pretty much forgotten was Tim and I  taking her and her brother  to the Disney on Ice show when she was about 5 or 6 years old.

We had been lucky enough to get tickets down near the front, which was awesome.  Until she had to go to the bathroom.  NOW.  IMMEDIATELY.  Like, ten minutes ago.

Since we needed the ladies room, it was up to me, while Tim got to sit there with Mr. Iron Bladder and scarf down slurpies and popcorn and giant pretzels.

We started up the steps, all 2000 of them.  About ten steps in, the level of urgency went from a 10 to a 25.  Knowing there was no way her little legs could make it up to the top of Mt. Everest before Lake Erie was created, I picked her up and hauled her to the top.

Barely able to breathe, I saw an usher and managed to gasp out, “Bathroom?” while my vision blurred and I thought I could hear my grandmother calling me from the other side to walk toward the light.

“Make a right through the doorway and its down a bit on the left,” she instructed.

In a blind panic at this point, since the adorable little moppet in my arms was twitching and wiggling like she was a contestant on “So You Think You Can Dance”, I took off at a dead run down the corridor. I still don’t know how I made it without either A. my arms falling off, or B. my arms falling off from carrying  a child who was clearly gaining thirty pounds with every step I took.

About 10 miles and 16 turns later, I found the bathroom, rushed in and planted her just in the nick of time.  Disaster sequence shut down. Disaster averted.

Twelve hours later as we made it back to the correct doorway and started to go down the steps to our seats, I happened to glance over my shoulder where I saw, about ten steps from us, a Ladies room.

If I had had the strength, I would have found the usher who told us to go down the corridor and put her on ice along with the Little Mermaid and Cinderella.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (uncooked) farro
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups of water
• 4 cups of packed baby spinach
• 2 cups chopped peppers (red, orange, yellow; any one or a combination)
• 1  1/2 cups cut green beans
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 3 spring (green) onions, thinly sliced (about 2/3 cup

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, saute the garlic in a small splash of olive oil till fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add faro and stir to combine.  Add water (the type of faro I used only needed 2 cups, but you might need more, so keep an eye on it) and bring to a boil.  Cover and lower the heat to a simmer.  Simmer till tender, but not mushy (mine took 20 minutes). Remove from heat and strain any excess water out.  Allow the faro to cool.
2. While the farro cooks, wash the vegetables and chop them into a small chop (about 1/2 inch pieces). Toss the vegetables together in a large bowl.
3. When the farro is cool, add it to the salad and toss well to combine.  In a small bowl or jar with a tight lid, combine the ingredients for the dressing, then pour it over the salad and toss well.
4. Refrigerate the salad for an hour to allow the faro to cool completely and the flavors to blend.

Enjoy!