Lunch in a Box: Slow Roasted Tomato and Farro Salad

Coming back from vacation is always difficult, especially when trying to get back to healthy eating habits. I haven't felt super inspired to be in the kitchen lately, but I know it's the only way that we're going to have some good lunches to take to work.

When we were in Napa (I promise that post is coming), I cooked a pasta dinner for friends the night before the marathon. I needed something easy and healthy, and stumbled across this amazing pasta recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod. I was able to roast the tomatoes while taking a little side trip to Domaine Carneros, and the rest of the dish was so incredibly easy to throw together. I started thinking of other ways that I could use the roasted tomatoes at home, and this easy lunch salad was born!

Slow-Roasted Tomato and Farro Salad
(makes 4 lunch-sized portions)

2 pints cherry tomatoes (a mix of colors makes for a pretty dish)
1-2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, still in skin
1 cup dry farro
1 1/4 cup water or broth
2-3 basil leaves, chopped
fresh spinach
sea salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 250°

1- Cut tomatoes in half, and toss with olive oil.
2- Spread tomatoes on baking pan lined with foil, add garlic cloves, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3- Roast for 2 1/2-3 hours, until tomatoes start to shrivel just a bit. (This is great to do on a Sunday while you're doing other things around the house.)
4- Meanwhile, cook farro according to package directions (should only take about 12-15 minutes).
5- When tomatoes are cool, peel 1-2 cloves of garlic (depending on taste preference), and add to farro along with tomatoes. Add the chopped basil and mix. Season with salt/pepper if needed.
6- Top a bed of spinach with a quarter of the mixture, sprinkle with parmesan if you wish, and drizzle a little bit of olive oil and vinegar on top.