Farro Salad with Cucumber, Beets & Mint

Farro is a healthy wheat grain with a chewy, hearty texture and is great hot or cold.  I made up this easy little salad on a whim and keep making it over and over.   If you're really pressed for time, you can get those precooked packaged red beets, but it will taste so much better if you get the mellow yellow ones at your farmer's market (probably cheaper, too: mine were $1/bunch).  I used a pomegranate vinegar in mine, but you can use any fruity vinegar, rice vinegar or white wine vinegar instead.  I make the farro and beets in the morning or afternoon (even a day ahead), then assemble the salad in the evening when everything is cool.

2 cups uncooked farro
3 medium organic yellow beets
1 cup diced organic english cucumber (seeds removed)
4 oz organic feta crumbles
3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh organic mint
2 Tablespoons EVOO
1 Tablespoon pomegranate vinegar (see above notes for substitutions)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the farro according to package instructions.  Meanwhile, boil the beets, skin on, until tender (about the same amount of time).  Slip the skins off when done, dice, and put in the refrigerator to cool.  Transfer the farro to a bowl and place in the refrigerator as well.  Chop remaining items and toss everything together when cool.

Serves 4-6 (as a side dish)