Feast in the MIddle East

If you are tired of the same old oatmeal then this blog is for you. Farro is an ancient grain, actually the oldest cultivated grain ever that originated from the Levantine region: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Palestine. The Egyptians then brought this grain to Italians, who combined this grain with pesto, seafood, and parmesan cheese, in salads, side dishes, and main entrees. In other words, Italians knew how to give this grain the respect it deserves. Now, farro is gaining popularity in the United States again because it is higher in protein and nutrients than modern hybrid wheat–each half cup serving has 6 grams of protein.  Not only is farro filling, but it has a nice chewy texture that is more interesting than oatmeal, with a pleasant slightly sweet flavor that works with both sweet and savory dishes. Traditionally you have to wash farro well, picking out impurities such as bits of chaff, pebbles, or bad grains, and soak it for at least 8 hours. However, Trader Joes has done the work for us. Now they sell farro that is ready in just 10 minutes, and I now use farro instead of oatmeal for breakfast. In this recipe, I top Greek yogurt with the farro, sort of a substitute for granola, but you don’t need the yogurt if you dislike or can’t have dairy. I find this combination, with luscious persimmons, chewy cranberries, and crunchy almonds tastes like a fall dessert in a bowl. Let me know what you think if you try this recipe… and if you would like to see more grain based recipes like this hit like! 😉

1 cup Quick cooking farro

2 cups almond milk (vanilla or regular, or can use regular milk)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract (omit if using vanilla yogurt)

1 cup Greek yogurt

3 tsp honey (or no honey if you want it less sweet)

1 large persimmon, cut into small chunks

2 tbs slivered almonds

2 tbs dried cranberries or golden raisins

Combine farro, almond milk, spices, and 2 tsp if honey into a saucepan, and heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Let cool for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, combine yogurt, 2 tsp of honey, vanilla extract and divide into 4 bowls.  Top each bowl with the farro, the persimmons, nuts, and cranberries. Serve warm.