This simple dish is a staple in my house, since it's so easy to make, requires minimal clean-up (we're talking one pot, one lid, one strainer and one large spoon) and is a great #mealprep item, since it can easily be repurposed and used throughout the week. I like to add it to lunchtime salads for an easy way to round out my meal with carbs (and fiber), or use it as a base for a grain bowl later in the week. If you aren't familiar with farro, it is a whole grain that offers substantial protein and fiber, and has a wonderful, hearty texture. It is very easy to prepare and can be cooked in a manner similar to rice and quinoa. For even faster preparation, I like to use Trader Joe's 10-Minute Farro (it boils in just 10 minutes)! If you need to make this dish gluten free, swap the farro (which contains gluten) for brown rice, quinoa or another gluten free whole grain!
Ingredients (serves 5):
1 1/2 C farro, dry (this is one Trader Joe's 10-Minute Farro package if you choose to use this brand)
3 C spinach, raw
1 1/2 C cherry or grape tomatoes, whole
1/4 C oil (I like to use olive oil or avocado oil)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
*you can prepare the farro in water or broth. I prefer to use water for this dish, however if you choose to use broth, I recommend a low sodium broth and adding salt as desired or omitting additional salt
Directions:
1. Cook farro according to directions on package. Typically, you combine 2 C water or broth for every 1 C dry farro in a medium-sized pot if you choose to bring to a boil and simmer, so you would need 3 C water or broth for this dish. If using this method, it typically takes bout 10 minutes to bring to a boil, then approximately 35 minutes for the farro to absorb the liquid once simmering. I recommend covering and leaving the cover slightly off to the side when simmering. Otherwise, the 10-Minute Farro from Trader Joe's is pre-cooked and only requires you to bring a large pot of water or broth to a boil, add the farro once boiling and boil for 10-12 minutes. Once farro is cooked, transfer to a strainer to drain excess liquid and set aside.
2. Place pot (you can use the same one that you used to cook the farro) on the stove and turn on heat to medium. Transfer drained farro back into the pot. Add spinach and oil and mix with large spoon until spinach is wilted (about 2-3 minutes).
3. Rinse tomatoes and pat dry. Add tomatoes to pot with farro and spinach. Add spices and mix together. Cook over medium heat for another 3-4 minutes. Enjoy!
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (1 serving is approximately 1 C, this recipes yields about 5 C).
Calories 303 calories, Total Fat 13 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrates 39 g, Fiber 8 g, Protein 8 g, Sodium 133 mg, Calcium 42 mg
*Nutritional Analysis uses water and 1/4 tsp salt, not broth
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