Greek Salad with Crispy Spicy Farro

a fun twist on one of my faves!

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, musings, and faves in your inbox every Wednesday! Paid subscribers get even more! Learn more about my paid membership here. You can also try a week for free!

CATCH UP!

Happy Wednesday, my friends!

We have been doing so many wonderful things and going to so many wonderful places, but if I’m being honest with you, I’m definitely itching to settle down at home and get back into my regular routine. I’ve been feeling behind on EVERYTHING — keeping our house organized, getting my work done, etc. Although I will say, I decided to kick my own booty and get much more diligent about work, and I can already see and feel the results. I’m challenging myself to post much more regularly and film content out of my comfort zone.

I also got back into writing my novel this week, but I’ve also felt frustrated with how little time I feel like I have to spend on it. I know it’s my own fault for traveling so much, getting a dog, etc., but… hoping to make some major strides in the coming months when I finally hanker down.

I’m ready for LA summer! However, June gloom is in full force, so that’s probably adding on to my moodiness at the current moment. On the bright side, we have been noticing huge improvements with Willow’s comfort and independence at home, and it makes me the happiest. I can’t believe we are coming up on one year since adopting her.

As far as food and cooking goes, I’ve been on a seed kick lately. I’ve been adding them to everything — pumpkin, sunflower, and hemp are my faves. I’ve also been trying to bake more, which is something I feel like I’m not good at but would love to improve. Our loquat tree is still going strong, so I think I’m going to make a loquat galette today!

THINGS I’M LOVING!

Grant and I have been loving documentaries, and we just watched FX’s The Secrets of Hillsong. It was really well done, and although disturbing at times, I think it’s important that people watch it. We were both hooked. Most people just think of the scandal with celebrity pastor Carl Lentz, but there was far more going on that needed to be exposed (that I definitely don’t think is exclusive just to this one church). You can stream it on Hulu!

I have long been a fan of Honey Mama’s chocolate — if you haven’t had it, it’s this fudgy chocolate bar sweetened with honey and made with other great ingredients. They’re always coming out with new flavors, and they just came out with a limited edition Nut Butter flavor!

This may be the last product in my “hair revitalization” series, but I recently started using a leave in conditioner since my hair has been feeling so dry. I had been seeing recommendations all over for Briogeo, so I went with their leave in conditioner spray. I love how light it feels, and it definitely helps make my hair feel softer post-shower.

RECIPE!

Greek Salad with Crispy Spicy Farro

I have yet to meet anyone who dislikes a Greek salad, but if you’re out there, reveal yourself! Now that we are approaching tomato season, I take any opportunity to indulge in a raw tomato dish, and there’s something so refreshing about a Greek salad. The bright veggies, the salty feta…swoon.

Now I’m not saying Greek salads aren’t perfect just the way they are (as long as they don’t have olives, eek, sorry), but I wanted to do something a little different and add a bit of crunch. This is not meant to replace a regular Greek salad, it’s just something FUN and adventurous! I toasted up some farro with chili olive oil to give a crispy rice vibe, and it added an interesting little twist. You can use quinoa or rice in its place if you would like as well.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Crispy Spicy Farro

• 3/4 cup farro

• 1 1/2 tbsp chili oil (can also use regular oil + pinch of crushed red pepper)

• Pinch of salt

Salad

• 1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

• 1 1/2 cups chopped/sliced Persian cucumbers

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

• 4 oz block feta

• 1 tbsp fresh or dried oregano

• Olive oil

• Red wine vinegar

• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Bring a salted pot of water to a boil. Add farro, and cook for 20-30 minutes or until fully cooked. Thoroughly drain, and then add to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Toss in the chili oil and and a little salt, and then spread in an even layer before transferring to the oven. Bake for 7 minutes, stir, and then back for another 8-10 minutes or until farro is crispy and browned but not burnt. Let cool.

2. Add half of the farro to the bottom of a bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and then add the remaining farro. Top with feta and oregano. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil and a splash or two of red wine vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Break up the feta, and mix everything together until evenly coated. Serve immediately!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

We’ve got a new paid-subscriber-only recipe coming this week, but don’t miss out on the last one! These shrimp tostadas are light, bright, and filling and perfect for summer.

Don’t forget: once you become a paid member, you get access to all prior recipes in the archives, plus exclusive, new recipes each month!