A couple of weeks ago Joe and I went to The Optimist. Joe ordered the kale salad with chorizo. It was so delicious that I’ve been dreaming of my own version ever since. If you’re going to have a meat and cheese plate, you might as well throw in some kale and call it healthy. Also leeks, come on! This thing is teeming with vegetables!

Marston and I are learning to like beets this week, and probably next week too. Joe and Remy already like beets. If you’re in the Joe and Remy camp, you’ll love this roasted beet salad I’m sharing today. If you’re in the Mars and Talia camp, you’ll love this arugula, kumquat and goat cheese salad with a smoky orange vinaigrette. There are some pesky beets, but the antioxidants are so good for you! (This is what Mars and I keep telling ourselves.)

Have you started searching new recipes in your quest for health this New Year ? I wrote yesterday about my 2016 goals, if you’re a ship in water trying to change direction it can be hard. So I’m here to help with the warm farro salad with butternut squash and pomegranate seeds I’m sharing today.

Farro is an heirloom grain of wheat chock full of nutrients. It is a great alternative to the monotony that is quinoa and brown rice. And it’s versatile, easily going well with sauces, added to soups or being tossed in to a salad like this one.