This dish is a texture and flavor jackpot. You’ve got sweet, savory, tangy, crunchy, and creamy. Should I see how many adjectives I can list? Haha. Really though, it’s a great all-around dish that can be modified to what you have on hand or how much time you have to prepare.

For example, no sweat if you don’t have farro - swap in any grain like rice or barley. Or, for time-saving get the fire-roasted corn in the freezer section or the pre-cut butternut squash cubes often found in the produce section. The other thing I love about this dish is that it is just as delicious prepared on the spot as it is assembled ahead of time for lunch the next day.

Assembled and ready to easily reheat at work for a delicious lunch!

Ingredients - serves 4

1 lb salmon filet, skin on

olive oil

juice of half a lemon

2 teaspoons blackened seasoning (I use Old Bay brand)

1 cup farro, dry

8 cups baby kale

1 cup roasted corn, fresh or frozen

1 lb or 2 cups butternut squash, cubed and steamed

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

parmesan cheese, shaved

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

8 pitted and chopped dates (I liike Medjool or Deglet Noor varieties)

sea salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Skin side down, drizzle olive oil and lemon juice onto salmon and coat with 2 teaspoons of blackened seasoning. Broil on high for 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from heat and set aside when done.
Prepare the farro according to package directions. I cook mine in chicken or vegetable broth. Farro is one of my favorite healthy grains- check out this article. It has a delightful chewy texture that is perfect when served chilled on a salad or heated in bowl like in this case.
If corn is in season, feel free to grill some corn for this dish or take the easy route like me and defrost some frozen fire-roasted corn like the kind that I find at my local Whole Foods.
Next up, steam the butternut squash cubes or pop them in the oven to roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.
In a small saute pan over medium heat cook the thinly sliced shallot in a bit of olive oil until evenly browned. Stop cooking at this point or continue cooking on low for about 10 more minutes or until soft, sprinkle a little sugar to help the caramelization.
Gather the remaining components: baby kale, shaved parmesan cheese, chopped walnuts, and chopped dates. Optional: wilt the baby kale in a medium hot skillet or eat raw.
Now, it’s time to assemble! Among four large bowls, divide the components evenly starting with the baby kale, farro, butternut squash, corn, salmon. Then, top with the shallot, parmesan cheese, walnuts, and dates.
*Prep note: I like to take this dish for lunch at work so I’ll do the same assembly except put it all in a microwavable safe dish and then heat up when ready to eat. Sometimes if I’m not in a hurry, I’ll pack the walnuts and cheese separately and put those on after the dish is heated so the walnuts don’t get soft and the cheese doesn’t melt.

Enjoy!

Salmon Farro Bowl