All posts filed under: farro

Purple Kale and Farro Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

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Last week in a fit of health-filled exuberance, the Husband declared Mondays “Raw Food Monday”.  Now, I know this man and I knew the look I would get if on Monday evening I brought him a nice pile of crudités. It would be the look of “well this is tasty, but where is dinner?” I think an important part of being in a relationship is understanding what your partner really means when they say stuff like “Let’s have Raw Food Mondays”.  In my relationship, it means, “I’m feeling like I overindulged on the weekend and would really like to eat healthier”.  So, without saying a word, when Raw Food Monday came around, I set to work making this Purple Kale and Farro salad. Filled to the brim with leafy greens, whole grain farro, zucchini and tomatoes, I knew it would check all the healthy boxes and be filling as well even it if didn’t fit the qualifications of “raw food”. As normal, around dinnertime on Monday, the Husband asked “what’s for dinner?”.  “A salad” I replied. He immediately looked …

Planning for Thanksgiving: Farro and Wild Rice with Roasted Autumn Vegetables

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We are full-tilt into the autumn season and I’m busy collecting recipes for Thanksgiving! I came across this beautiful recipe on Williams-Sonoma’s Taste blog and knew I had to make it immediately.  I had most of the ingredients on-hand, along with some leftover cubed butternut squash from last week’s Winter Minestrone.  I made a few changes to the original recipe by using farro and wild rice instead of wheat berries.  I also added some brussels sprouts and cremini mushrooms to the mix as well.  This dish   was hearty enough to be a main dish on a Meatless Monday, or a delicious side dish and I think it is perfect for Thanksgiving.  What’s not to love about whole grains with earthy, roasted root vegetables?  Speaking of root vegetables, the roasted parsnips were a revelation!  I had never had parsnips before and I love an opportunity to try something new!  I wasn’t crazy about the flavor when raw, but when roasted, they had a sweet, herbal flavor–similar to a turnip or a rutabaga.  I really enjoyed them …

Farro Pilaf with Walnuts and Cranberries

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Autumn is just around the corner.  I swear, I can feel it.  I did a double-take this morning when I saw a few golden leaves on the Chinese Pistache tree in the front yard; then this evening, a storm blew through and it rained and the weather cooled a bit and I got that familiar excitement again.  Fall is coming.  Time for roasted things! Hot soup! Turkey Day!  It will be here before you know it! I think I’ve mentioned how much I love farro.  I love its nutty flavor and chewy texture and it’s a great alternative to rice.  This farro pilaf is so easy and it makes an elegant side dish.  This pilaf even makes an amazing stuffing for cornish game hens! The drippings from the bird make it even more delicious!  There is so much flavor in this dish–from the sage and thyme to the toasty walnuts and tart dried cranberries.  It really just speaks Autumn and I love it! I always buy “pearled” or “semi-pearled” farro, which takes less time to …