Farro Salad with Arugula Walnut Pesto + Quick Strawberry Sherbet

We're celebrating Meatless Mondays with balanced, delicious meal plans. We hope you'll join us -- whether you're vegetarian all the time or just here and there. 

Today: Get out your food processor. It's going to make you dinner -- and dessert. 

  

We all know that Monday night feeling. It's the one that gets stronger as dinnertime approaches. You haven't peeked in the fridge for ingredients. You haven't boiled water. You haven't moved from the sofa. You're still hoping that if you wait long enough, a homemade meal will appear on the table, no cooking required. 

If it's one of those nights, get out your food processor. It's going to make you dinner. It'll even take requests. You don't want arugula walnut pesto? It can make any pesto you prefer. And once you've enjoyed your salad, your food processor is going to make you dessert, too. 

The Menu

Take advantage of our handy grocery list and game plan, or click the recipe photos or titles to see (and save and print) the full recipes.

Farro & Fresh Mozzarella Salad with Arugula Walnut Pesto by thirschfeld 

Quick Strawberry Sherbet by ChefJune

The Grocery List

Serves 4, with leftover pesto 

1 pint strawberries
2 cups arugula
1 cup grated Manchego cheese
2 cups cooked farro (or substitute another grain) 
1/2 cup tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped chives
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
1/2 to 1 cup superfine cane sugar
1 cup cold whole milk

You probably already have garlic, walnuts, olive oil, red paper flakes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in your kitchen. If not, you'll want to pick those up, too. 

The Plan

1. Wash and hull the strawberries and stick them in the freezer.

2. Add the arugula and Manchego to the food processor along with 1/2 cup of toasted walnuts and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Pulse a few times, then drizzle in 1/4 cup of olive oil while the processor's still running. Add more oil if the paste seems dry, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Rinse the food processor and put it in the freezer to chill. 

4. Combine the farro with half of the pesto and mix. Toss the farro with tomatoes, chives, diced mozzarella, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

5. Give your food processor a rest as you eat dinner.

6. Now it's time for dessert. Pulse the semi-frozen berries in the chilled food processor along with sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice until it's almost a purée. With the machine running, slowly add the milk until the mixture is just blended.

6. Eat at once. Why wouldn't you?