Happy MIMM!! I hope everyone had a Marvelous weekend, it was Marvelous around here. I tried Farro for the first time, I found it at TJ’s and decided to give it a try.
Farro was very popular in the Middle East during biblical times, it grows well in poor soil and is naturally resistant to fungus. It’s a cousin to wheat and it is similar in taste to spelt. Farro is a whole wheat grain and is a great source of complex carbohydrates. It has twice the fiber and protein than the wheat most of us eat. The carbohydrate in Farro is called cyanogenic glucoside and is known to stimulate the immune system, lower cholesterol and help to maintain blood sugar levels. It contains gluten, however the gluten molecules are weaker, making it more easily digested. It’s also rich in antioxidants, phytonutrients, lignans and betaine. Farro is a popular food in Italy, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and has three grades, long,medium and cracked. Farro can be purchased whole and cracked using a coffee grinder to assure freshness or you can purchase pre-cooked, all you have to do is boil for about ten minutes.
There is so much you can do with Farro, one of the first things that came to mind was a hot cereal. I boiled the Farro for about 7 minutes with water, poured off the water added 1 1/2 tablespoon of thick coconut cream and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and boiled for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. I sweetened it with agave nectar and topped it off with toasted coconut, dried cranberries, sliced almonds and I poured just a little more coconut cream on top. It was so so Marvelous!
The second thing I made was a Marevlous salad. I used red onions, cherry tomatoes, chopped spinach, olive, italian seasonings, salt and cracked black pepper. Thought about using balsamic vinegar, but just wasn’t feeling it, but you can toss in whatever floats your boat. I’ve got some sweet dishes in mind, I will share after testing the recipes.
Have yourself a Marvelous Monday and check out the other Marvelousiness. Thanks to Katie at Healthy Diva Eats for hosting.
Question of the Day.
What was the last new food you tried?
Healthful Mind Body and Soul 
May 6, 2013 at 8:04 AM
I’ve never tried Farro before, but am now very intrigued. Thanks for sharing these simple recipes for all of us.
Have a Marvelous Monday
xoxo
May 8, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Thank you, I hope you are having a Marvelous week.
May 6, 2013 at 8:47 AM
Never tried farro ever! Always good to try new things! Haven’t tried any new foods over here recently 😉