Being stuck inside from the snow all week made me miss the sun and warmth of summer. This week I decided to make a summery-tasting watermelon, tomato, and feta farro salad to make sure I could last the rest of the winter. I like the healthy combination of the sweet watermelon and savory tomato and feta.

Farro, the recipe’s main ingredient is a grain and cereal with a nutty flavor. It is full of minerals, including magnesium, which can relieve tension and stress. It also has a lot of protein and has complex carbs, which keep your energy level stable, as well as boosting your immune system.

Another healthy part of this recipe is the watermelon. Watermelon has many antioxidants and has iron and zinc, vital minerals for your body. Interestingly, every 24 seeds of watermelon has one gram of protein, which, when added up in several slices of watermelon, can equal a decent amount of protein. Fiber usually comes in high calorie foods, but because of watermelon’s high water concentration, you can eat many low-calorie slices and get a good amount of fiber.

Like watermelon, the heirloom tomatoes in this recipe have a lot of health benefits. They are a rich source of vitamin C, which helps reduce stress and helps build your immune system. They are also a good source of potassium, which helps to lower blood pressure and protects cardiovascular health. With these three components – farro, watermelon, and tomato – you’ll have a super healthy dish that will give you nostalgia for summer.

This recipe was really easy to make. Dicing the watermelon and tomatoes was pretty messy, so work in a space that can get a little dirty. Also, because the recipe makes a very large yield (about 13 servings) and it will go bad if you save it for long, you should divide the recipe in half. If you don’t have white balsamic vinegar, no worries! I used regular balsamic vinegar and it still turned out great. Enjoy!

Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta Farro Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups of whole-grain, semi-pearled farro

4 cups of diced heirloom tomatoes

3 cups of diced watermelon

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of white balsamic vinegar

2 cups of baby arugula

1 1/2 cups of crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:

1. Place farro in a sieve and rinse briefly. Bring a medium pot of heavily salted water (about 2 teaspoons of salt) to a boil over high hear and add farro. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the farro until it is al dente, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove the farro from the heat. Drain the water and spread the farro out onto a rimmed baking sheet to cool.
3. While the farro is cooling, combine the tomatoes, watermelon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper. Stir the salad and set aside for 20 to 30 minutes so that the taste can intensify.
4. Combine the remaining olive oil and white balsamic vinegar in a small  container and shake until combined. Season this with salt and ground pepper and mix with cooled farro.
5. Drain the watermelon-tomato mixture and stir into the farro. Add the arugula and feta and stir the salad. Serve immediately.

Full yield: 13 servings