Farro & Pear Roasted Chickpea Salad.

I have been trying to think of a way to use farro and pears in a warm, seasonally appropriate salad. There have been so many great re-pins for fall recipes on Pinterest lately! The combination that keeps coming up again and again is maple. The sweet syrup – I don’t use it often enough.

My wonderful sister-in-law has a successful blog {Make the Best of Everything} and she posted a recipe for maple and peanut butter roasted chickpeas last week. That idea combined with my love of roasting all vegetables brought this together:

Farro & Pear Roasted Chickpea Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Serves 2, with leftovers.

1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup farro
2 cups spinach
1 can chickpeas
1 cup quartered brussel sprouts
3 teaspoons maple syrup {I used Grade A}
1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup dried cherries
1 pear
2 Tablespoons goat cheese
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Step 1 – Cook farro.

• Bring 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup farro to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add 2 cups of spinach and stir until wilted.

Step 2 – Roast the chickpeas and brussel sprouts while the farro is simmering.

• Toss 1 can chickpeas with 2 teaspoons maple syrup and a dash of salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees on a cookie sheet, making sure the chickpeas are evenly spread.
• Toss 1 cup quartered brussel sprouts with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Step 4 – Prepare the Mix-ins and Dressing.

• Cut the pear into small cubes, and set aside 1/3 cup dried cherries and 2 Tablespoons goat cheese.
• For the dressing, whisk the following:
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard 
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• Dash of salt and pepper

Step 5 – Mix and Serve.

• Mix the farro and spinach combination with the roasted brussel sprouts, chickpeas, and dried cherries. Top with dressing and stir.
• Top each plate with 1 Tablespoon goat cheese and pear chunks. Devour!

{Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Fall Salad with Maple Vinaigrette}