Spring is only a month away and I once again feel the urge to quit baking and turn to healthier meal options. Every day for the past month or so, I’ve been making “winter salads,” as I call them, using mostly seasonal ingredients and warm grains as the base. I’ve been sharing some of my favorites on Instagram, and now I have enough for “my 10 favorite winter salads” round-up. Enjoy!

Farro, Broccoli and Poached Egg Salad

1. Cook farro in a pot of salted boiling water until tender, drain well.
2. Wash and trim the broccoli raab, cut it into 1-inch segments. Cook until wilted and tender in a sauté pan with olive oil and 2 finely chopped cloves garlic.
3. Poach the eggs for 3-5 mins in simmering water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
4. In a bowl, mix farro with broccoli, dress with vinaigrette (olive oil + vinegar + salt to taste). Top with poached eggs and sprinkle with smoked paprika and/or chili pepper.

Green Beans, Corn and Octopus Salad

1. Cook green beans until crisp-tender in salted boiling water, drain well and put under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain again, dry and cool on a baking sheet.
2. Sauté whole small octopus until golden and caramelized on high heat with olive oil, salt and red pepper.
3. Transfer the octopus to a bowl and return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat. Add corn kernels and cook until slightly browned on edges.
4. In a bowl, combine arugula, beans, corn, halved cherry tomatoes, and octopus. Drizzle with vinaigrette (olive oil + garlic + vinegar + salt to taste).

Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate Salad

1. In a bowl, combine trimmed and thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, chopped parsley leaves, thinly sliced celery stalks, and arugula.
2. Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste on top of the greens, toss well to combine.
3. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and crumbled feta.

Frisée, Fennel and Artichoke Salad

1. Thinly slice fennel, tear frisée into bite-size pieces, halve marinated artichoke hearts, and segment grapefruit to rid of skin and seeds.
2. In a bowl, combine all the above ingredients, gently toss with vinaigrette (olive oil, vinegar, lemon or grapefruit juice, salt).
3. Shave pecorino on top of the salad when serving.

Mushrooms, Egg and Prosciutto Salad

1. Clean and sauté bite-size mushrooms (such as shiitake, porcini, chanterelles, oyster, etc.) with salt and oil over medium-high heat until cooked and golden-brown.
2. Poach eggs for 3-5 mins in simmering water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
3. In a bowl, combine chicories, frisée, lettuce leaves, and mushrooms. Gently toss the salad with vinaigrette (olive oil, vinegar, mushroom bits from the pan, salt to taste).
4. Transfer the salad to a platter, finish with prosciutto, poached eggs and shavings of pecorino.

Apple, Farro, Baby Kale Salad

1. Cook farro in a pot of salted boiling water until tender. Drain well.
2. In a bowl, mix farro, thinly sliced red onion, apples and celery. Add and gently fold baby kale leaves. Drizzle with vinaigrette (olive oil, vinegar, salt to taste).
3. Serve and top with washed dry cranberries and crumbled blue cheese.

Kale, Ricotta Salata, Crispy Curry-Roasted Chickpeas Salad

1. Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas. Pan-fry, stirring often, with oil, salt, curry powder, and cumin over medium-high heat until crispy and lightly browned.
2. In a bowl, mix bite-size kale pieces with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice.
3. Drizzle with shaved ricotta salata and top with the chickpeas.

Mushrooms, Farro and Fresh Ricotta Salad

1. Cook farro in a pot of salted boiling water until tender, drain well.
2. Clean and sauté bite-size mushrooms (such as shiitake, porcini, chanterelles, oyster, etc.) and thinly sliced onions with salt and oil over medium-high heat until cooked and golden-brown.
3. In a bowl, toss cooled farro, mushrooms, onions, chopped parsley leaves, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt to taste. Top with crumbled fresh ricotta.

Roasted Cauliflower, Quinoa, Feta Salad

1. Halve cauliflower florets, place on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, salt and powdered garlic, and bake stirring a few times until lightly browned and soft.
2. Cook quinoa in a pot of salted boiling water. Drain well.
3. In a bowl, toss to combine arugula, quinoa, cauliflower, and sliced marinated roasted red peppers. Top with crumbled feta.

Beet, Citrus, Ricotta Salata

1. Cook farro in a pot of salted boiling water until tender. Drain well.
2. Bake washed, peeled and quartered beets drizzled with oil and salt until soft when poked with a fork.
3. In a bowl, combine farro, beets, thinly sliced fennel, and skinned and cut citrus of your choice (orange, blood orange, clementine). Toss with oil, lemon or other citrus juice, vinegar, salt to taste. Serve topped with shaved ricotta salata.

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