The cherries are out and I’m EXCITED. When you live in a multi-season place like Upstate New York, the summers are sweet, but short. So it’s this time of year when you’ll find me fully freaking out at the farmers market, shopping for the family of 8 I don’t have. There are too many options and it’s just too darn good.

With that said, it’s really easy to get into a salad rut during these warmer months as it’s natural to gravitate to the same ol’ thing over and over again. This kale farro salad with cherries is a fresh take on a summer salad that, with a little prep, can be thrown together in minutes. It’s also one that can be stored and eaten a few days in a row- no wilting involved. Now that’s what I’m talking about!

PS: I rarely use measurements for salads because it’s truly hard to mess it up. I’ll give you the ingredients, and you can determine how much of each you’d like to use. Deal?

farro kale salad with cherries and gorgonzola

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 0

Ingredients

farro
kale
cucumber
cherries
roasted almonds (sliced, slivered or chopped)
sunflower seeds
gorgonzola (or blue cheese of choice)

Maple Mustard Vinaigrette:

1 tbsp dijon mustard (grainy is preferred)
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
⅛ tsp sea salt

Instructions

Cook the farro as directed. Feel free to sub in a different one if you’d prefer. The 15-min packs from Trader Joe’s are heaven sent because farro is one grain that can take a bit longer. Run it under cold water to stop the cooking/cool if you make it fresh. Otherwise, pull it out of your fridge!
The kale can be used raw, but I like to saute it with some olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. This softens it and also just adds so much flavor. Cook on low until wilted a bit and let cool. If you're using raw, make sure to massage the dressing in to break it down a bit and distribute.
Assemble the salad with the chopped cherries, sliced cucumbers, almonds, sunflower seeds, and gorgonzola. Toss with your dressing and make sure to season with salt and pepper! Salad almost always needs to be seasoned alongside the dressing.

For the dressing: