Farro? Have you heard of it? Have you used it? A type of wheat, farro, was among the first plants to be cultivated in the Middle East. Farro grows in wild and domestic varieties. It is still a popular food in some areas of the world, especially Italy. I began using farro some time ago first as an experiment, then because we really liked the nuttiness and flavor both of which really shine through in this Farro Beet and Feta Salad with Toasted Walnuts which was recently featured on my THV11 Savory Side Salads segment.

Though farro is no longer grown much around the world, Italy is an exception. It is a popular whole grain in European health food stores. It’s also grown today in Albania, Morocco, Spain, Turkey, Switzerland, and the mountains on the border of the Czech and Slovak republics, though not like it is grown in Tuscany.

Farro is often eaten as a whole grain in soup. You might be able to find it as a pasta in health food and specialty stores. In Switzerland, farro is used to make bread, as it was in ancient Egypt. While farro is not gluten free, it is much lower in gluten than many other wheat varieties.
I use precooked peeled and refrigerated beets, usually from Melissa’s. One package is plenty for this salad. Arugula may be a little bitter for you if you are not accustomed to eating it. Spinach also works well as do the beet greens if you choose to roast your own beets. If you do choose to use the beet greens, I suggest that you blanch and slightly sauté them first. This is a good way to use beets if you have a family member that usually balks at eating them.
P.S. This is a salad chock full of health benefits, but I suggest you keep that little secret all to yourself.