Salads are a great opportunity to create your own signature combination of flavors and textures. This Arugula Salad with Farro and citrus goes from good to great with the addition of Salemville Amish Blue Cheese’s creamy yet sharp bite. This post is sponsored by Salemville Cheeses. All opinions are, as always, my own. 
So, in addition to the creative expression involved, here’s the other thing I love about this arugula salad with farro, citrus and blue cheese.
You can’t wolf it down.
It requires a fork. You must be seated. It must be chewed. And therefore, at least to some extent, appreciated.
This season, Salemville is inspiring its audience to slow down for the holidays and I couldn’t be more ready to embrace their philosophy. These moments to connect with loved ones fly by. I’m determined not to waste a single one.
A friend of mine is going through a very hard time right now and it shouldn’t take her struggles to remind me how grateful I am for all the love I have in my life. But it did.
So I’m pledging (you’re my witness!) not to just go back to business as usual in a few days. I want to savor every second of this holiday season. The great food, the absence of deadlines, even the low blood sugar melt downs and the insane lines at Target. I’m fortunate for all of it.
The low down on the slow down
In keeping with the Season Of Giving, Salemville is offering another (rather awesome!) way to put on the brakes and take stock. They’re giving away a grill smoker valued at $1000!
Oh how I wish I had a yard right now. Maybe Santa will bring me one. Because putting some meat on low and slow and standing around the grill with a group of friends enjoying a beer and shooting the breeze?
I call that bliss.
Click here to enter the giveaway (now through December 31)
Now back to our regularly scheduled Arugula Salad with Farro, Citrus and Salemville Blue Cheese.
Think of your favorite citrus salad. Now think of the best arugula salad you ever had in your life. This is both. And topped with blue cheese.
Now I want you to imagine that juicy hunk of meat coming off your new FREE grill smoker, perfectly cooked. Here it comes. Can you smell it? OK it’s on the table. Now it’s being carved and served. And now…you dish up some of this arugula salad to go along with it.
This salad literally has everything going for it. Spicy peppery arugula. Chewy farro. Juicy citrus. Crunchy toasted hazelnuts. And it’s crowned with Salemville Amish Blue Cheese. Creamy enough to offset the arugula. Sharp enough to make your nose sting just a bit.
And when you dress this arugula salad with farro, citrus and blue cheese with my best homemade balsamic vinaigrette you will experience, in full force, salad nirvana.
And that is my holiday wish for all of us. Nothing short of nirvana. Friends. Family. Meat. Salad. And time.
Spicy peppery arugula. Chewy farro. Juicy citrus. Crunchy toasted hazelnuts. Crowned with Salemville Amish Blue Cheese. Prepare for salad nirvana.
- 5 cups baby arugula washed and dried
- 1 cup cooked farro prepared according to package instructions
- 1 cup orange (or favorite citrus) sectioned with membranes removed
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
- 4 ounces Salmeville Amish Blue Cheese broken into bite sized chunks
- 1/4 cup good balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil can sub olive oil
Prepare farro according to package instructions. Can be done several days in advance and stored in fridge. Meant to be served at room temperature.
If your hazelnuts aren't already toasted, toast in a dry skillet until golden. Let cool and chop.
Add all ingredients to salad bowl, toss and serve.
Add vinegar thru coconut sugar to a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until emulsified.
Calorie information is approximate for one person but will vary according to exact ingredients used and serving sizes of both salad and dressing.
This is an amazing recipe and an even better message! I keep wanting a balance but am not very good at following up with it!
Thanks, Julie. Balance is a tricky beast, isn’t it? It requires constant attention. Otherwise ALLTHETHINGS will creep in and take over!
Fantastic looking salad!! Thanks for sharing!!!
My pleasure!
Oh I am a sucker for anything with blue cheese in!! Everything in this salad sounds perfect!
We all flipped for it!
I am totally with you, I get to spend some time with my three youngest nephews tomorrow and my niece on Sunday – I’m extra appreciative of that now! Especially since I don’t get to see them often.
I absolutely love this salad, it looks delicious and that cheese? I NEED! I would definitely want to wolf this down, but I’ll be glad having to savour it!
Oh, nice! Time with family is the best. Enjoy.
Slowing down for the holidays sounds like the perfect ticket. It is so much healthier for you too! Loving every aspect of this salad the citrus, the delicious cheese and toppings. The only thing we would change is swapping chopsticks out for the fork as we dislike stabbing out food and prefer to grab it. LOL Take Care and wishing your family a safe and happy holiday!
Well….chopsticks would definitely slow me down. A lot. I can do it but it’s not second nature. Happy happy to you as well.