Today we are all about the unofficial kick off to summer. Memorial Day weekend is just days away – and that means we are looking ahead to long weekends, boat rides, beach days and dinners from the grill.

I love having a grain-based salad in the fridge – it’s perfect to pull out and serve alongside sandwiches for lunch or any grilled meat or fish for dinner. Plus, it makes my husband feel like he lives in the deli counter of the grocery store which makes him incredibly happy. This week on Minnesota Live, I shared my Fresh Mediterranean Salad and I’m using farro in it. Farro is an ancient grain that’s packed with protein and fiber and it has a nutty flavor and a chewy texture that I love. Cooking it in chicken bone broth makes this salad even more flavorful and ups the protein content as well. This recipe makes enough to feed a crowd – you can easily cut in half for a smaller gathering. It also stores beautifully in the fridge for a few days.

Fresh Mediterranean Salad

Gather this:

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  1 cup chopped English cucumber
1/3 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  1 cup farro, cooked according to package instructions replacing the water with chicken broth
  1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  1/2 cup olive oil
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  1 8-ounce block feta cheese, crumbled
2/3 cup chopped olives (I like green or kalamata – use your favorite!)
1 teaspoon Lunds & Byerlys Mediterranean Spice (you can also use your favorite Mediterranean Spice blend or just salt and pepper)
salt and pepper to taste

Do this:

Add the cooked and slight cooled farro to a large bowl (ideally it’s a little warmer than room temperature). Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, mint, olives and chickpeas. Mix gently. Put the olive oil, lemon juice and Mediterranean Spice in a mason jar. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously until the oil and the lemon juice are emulsified into a dressing. Pour the dressing over the salad, folding gently to coat. Add the crumbled feta and mix gently again. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper — the salt amount will vary based on the broth, olives and feta that you use – I find that i rarely need any salt! Cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Feel free to drizzle a little extra olive oil on top before serving!