Home ยป Pharaoh of my heart: Farro

Pharaoh of my heart: Farro

Our dear friends Matt and Tiffany had us over for dinner Friday night (picture above from Matt’s iPhone – not bad!). Tiffany is a wonderful cook and I’m always anxious to see what she prepares! Friday she made lamb on the grill (so lean!) and a dish with a new grain (to all of us!): farro.

I’ve somewhat shamefully admitted my distaste for quinoa, but with that one exception, I love all grains. And farro just may be my favorite. Yum! 

Farro

Farro is native to the Middle East but is primarily grown in northern Italy. It is most similar to barley and wheat berries and has a firmer texture and a nutty flavor. Farro is also nutritional superior to many other whole grains as it contains less calories and lots of fiber.

Per 1/2 cup (cooked):

  • Farro = 100 calories; 3.5 g. fiber
  • Quinoa = 127 calories; 2 g. fiber
  • Millet = 104 calories; 1.15 g. fiber
  • Bulgar = 125 calories; 4 g. fiber
  • Buckwheat = 129 calories; 4 g. fiber

Greek Farro Salad adapted from The Food Network (and Tiffany 🙂 )

1 1/2 cups farro (dry), cooked
1 cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and diced
1 red bell pepper, large-diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
1/2 pound 6 ounces feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved

For the vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup 1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

Place the cooked farro, cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature. Serves 12 (3/4 cup per serving)

Nutrition Information (per serving): 243 calories; 15.4 g. fat; 505 mg. sodium; 20.9 g. carbohydrate; 2.4 g. fiber; 6.5 g. protein

Result: DEE-LISH-US! This is such a wonderful dish! I plan to serve it tonight with chicken and have leftovers all week for lunch! Mmm mmm!

And breakfast for the week…

 Vegan Banana Nut Muffins

3 large ripe bananas
1/4 cup vegetable canola oil OR 1/4 vegan butter like Earth Balance
1/2 cup (organic) raw sugar – I used turbinado
1/2 cup (organic) brown sugar
1 cup (organic) all-purpose flour
1 cup (organic) whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 360º F.

Cream sugar/oil with sugar. In a separate bowl mash bananas with a potato masher or fork. Add bananas to butter and sugar and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, making sure to scrape the sides and mix well. Stir in nuts at the end. Spray cooking spray in a muffin tin or add muffin cups and add batter into each slot – 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 25 minutes. Yield: 12 muffins

Nutrition Information (per muffin): 233 calories; 8.1 g. fat; 190 mg. sodium; 39 g. carbohydrate; 2.4 g. fiber; 2.2 g. protein

Result: So flavorful! I love, love, love vegan baked goods — the higher calories for the oil is always worth it! 😀

I loved reading about your spouses/significant others and what they “appreciate” most. I feel in good company with Mr. Prevention, after all. Maybe we should start a support group? 😉

Let’s do a THIS or THAT today…(leave your selections as a comment)

iced tea or iced coffee
lemonade or limeade
cookie or brownie
run or bike
red grapes or green grapes
spinach or lettuce
dog or cat
red sauce or cream sauce
red wine or white wine
cauliflower or broccoli

For me: iced tea, limeade, cookie, run, red grapes, spinach , dog, red sauce, red wine, broccoli

Excited for my hockey game today! I haven’t played all week! 😀

Have a great day-before-Monday!

Share With Your Friends!

39 Comments

  1. Jess (Fit Chick in the City)
    March 28, 2010 / 5:52 am

    iced coffee
    lemonade
    cookie
    run or bike I have to choose?
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

    Also thank you for the farro info. I had a great bowl while out to brunch a few weeks ago and had no idea what it was.

  2. asianredhead
    March 28, 2010 / 6:32 am

    The farro looks really good! We eat a lot of couscouse and quinoa, so I’m sure my mom will be trying that ๐Ÿ™‚

    iced tea
    lemonade
    cookie
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    white wine
    broccoli

  3. Can You Stay for Dinner
    March 28, 2010 / 8:21 am

    Delicious farro and muffins! My list:
    iced coffee, lemonade, brownie, run, green grapes, spinach, dog, red sauce, red wine, and broccoli!

  4. Corinne Dobbas
    March 28, 2010 / 10:55 am

    Well, here are my choices!
    iced coffee
    lemonade
    brownie
    run
    green grapes
    lettuce
    cat
    red sauce
    red wine
    cauliflower

    And thanks for the farro intro! I’ve never had it and am looking forward to trying it! I love wheat berries & barley, so seems like I’d be in grain love! Hope you’re having a good weekend!

  5. Morgan @ Healthy Happy Place
    March 28, 2010 / 11:55 am

    all of your food looks so good!!!

    iced coffee
    lemonade
    brownie
    run
    red grapes
    lettuce
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

  6. Morgan
    March 28, 2010 / 12:18 pm

    I have some farro but I haven’t made it yet, I have to give it a try!
    This will be fun, here goes:

    iced tea
    lemonade
    cookie
    run
    green grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

  7. Lily @ Lily's Health Pad
    March 28, 2010 / 12:19 pm

    Wow, I’d never even heard of farro! You learn something new every day, huh? I’ve never even seen it in the grocery store, but now I’ll be looking.

    iced coffee
    limeade
    cookie or brownie–neither…muffins!
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    cat
    red sauce
    red wine or white wine- neither…pink wine!
    broccoli

  8. inmytummy
    March 28, 2010 / 1:05 pm

    tea
    lemonade
    cookie
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    white wine
    broccoli

  9. Heather
    March 28, 2010 / 1:47 pm

    That farro recipe looks delicious – I have never tried farro!

    iced tea
    lemonade
    cookie
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    white wine
    broccoli

  10. Kristen @ Change of Pace
    March 28, 2010 / 2:47 pm

    I’m wondering where you can find farro… I’ll have to keep an eye out for it ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. Anna
    March 28, 2010 / 2:52 pm

    Okay, most of these not a problem: iced tea (mint, not the regular stuff), lemonade, brownie (especially if it’s still warm), bike, green grapes, spinach, red sauce, white wine, and broccoli. But dog vs cat? Such a hard one for me, I know I’m a dog person at heart but since I have two of each and love them all dearly, I remain split and say they are both fantastic. I wouldn’t have said that before owning cats, but now that I have them and see what awesome personalioes they have… Dogs and cats!

  12. Alison
    March 28, 2010 / 3:17 pm

    I love farro and kamut, nutty and tasty and oh so awesome. Great cookbook called “Whole Grains, Everyday, Every Way” by Lorna Sass has some awesome recipes in it and she goes into the best way to cook absolutely every grain. She has 3-10 pages for each grain and then a bunch of recipes as well, I highly recommend it.
    For the comment above you can often find farro in bulk grocery bins, and I know whole foods carries it in bulk and normal sizes, you can also mail order it…

    iced coffee
    lemonade
    brownie
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

  13. Leah
    March 28, 2010 / 3:23 pm

    I’ve never had farro but you sure made me want to try it!!

    Iced coffee
    Lemonade
    Cookie
    Run
    Red grapes
    Spinach
    Dog
    White sauce
    White wine
    Cauliflower

  14. Karla
    March 28, 2010 / 3:48 pm

    Ooh Farro sounds interesting! I’ve never had it!
    iced tea
    limeade
    brownie
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

  15. Evan Thomas
    March 28, 2010 / 4:25 pm

    I’ll play!
    iced tea
    lemonade
    (gluten free) brownie
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    non-alcoholic water ๐Ÿ™‚
    broccoli

  16. thebalancebroad
    March 28, 2010 / 4:41 pm

    I love stuff like this!

    iced tea
    lemonade
    cookie
    run (umm….if I’m not injured!) ๐Ÿ˜‰
    red grapes
    spinach
    cat (only because I’ve never had a dog!)
    red sauce
    white wine
    broccoli

  17. cupcakesinparis
    March 28, 2010 / 5:09 pm

    Both your salad and muffin look incredible….
    For me:
    iced coffee
    lemonade
    cookie
    bike
    green grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

  18. Swanky Dietitian
    March 28, 2010 / 5:51 pm

    Never had farro…looks excellent. Maybe I should make it as one of my new foods to try!

    Iced coffee
    lemonade
    brownie
    bike
    red grapes
    spinach
    cat
    cream sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

  19. Faith
    March 28, 2010 / 6:35 pm

    Farro is new to me, but with that nutty flavor it sounds delicious!

    Here are my choices:

    iced coffee
    limenade
    cookie
    bike
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

  20. Jessie
    March 28, 2010 / 7:06 pm

    Haha, love how you posed the cupcake on the windowsill! ๐Ÿ™‚ I’ve truthfully never heard of farro, but I love trying new foods so I MUST check that out!

    My picks:
    iced coffee
    lemonade
    brownie
    RUN!
    green grapes
    spinach
    DOG
    red sauce
    white wine
    brocolli

    That was fun! ๐Ÿ™‚

  21. Lauren @ Eater Not a Runner
    March 28, 2010 / 8:00 pm

    iced coffee
    limeade
    cookie
    run
    red grapes
    lettuce
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

    That was fun!

  22. Heather
    March 28, 2010 / 8:56 pm

    I’ve had farro once before and loved the taste, haven’t had it since that one time though… I think around thanksgiving. Lucky you to get treated to lamb!

    iced tea
    lemonade
    cookie
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

  23. homecookedem
    March 28, 2010 / 9:14 pm

    iced tea
    lemonade
    cookie
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    white wine
    broccoli

    I’ll have to try out farro! I bet I’d love it!!

  24. fitandfortysomething
    March 28, 2010 / 9:14 pm

    I am too tired to leave all my answers but I can say love the farro:)

  25. Melinda
    March 28, 2010 / 10:02 pm

    Iced coffee
    limeade
    Brownie
    bike
    green grapes
    Lettuce
    dog (but I love MY cat)
    red sauce
    white wine
    broccoli

    Thanks for the info on farro, I do not think I have ever had this before.

  26. Astra Libris
    March 28, 2010 / 10:43 pm

    Thank you for the great farro recipe! I so need to try farro – it sounds incredible!!

    Such a fun game! ๐Ÿ™‚ Here come my choices… ๐Ÿ™‚

    Iced tea
    Lemonade
    Brownie
    Bike
    Green Grapes
    Spinach
    Dog and cat ๐Ÿ™‚
    Red sauce
    Red Wine
    Broccoli and cauliflower ๐Ÿ™‚

  27. Molly
    March 28, 2010 / 10:48 pm

    Oh farro sounds pretty good and packs a nice fiber punch! I have never heard of it!

    iced tea
    limeade if i had to choose one if not neither!
    brownie
    run
    green grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    white wine
    broccoli

  28. Sushma Mallya
    March 28, 2010 / 11:41 pm

    iced tea
    lemonade
    brownie
    run
    green grapes
    spinach
    dog
    cream sauce
    sorry i dont have wine
    cauliflower

    IT was fun to do this nicole and salad and cookies looks delicious

  29. Bo
    March 29, 2010 / 12:19 am

    I’ve never tried farro, but I do know that I hate quina…Does farro taste like bird seed too?

    • Nicole
      Author
      March 29, 2010 / 6:34 am

      I hate quinoa, too…love farro!

  30. lauralei
    March 29, 2010 / 1:58 am

    iced tea
    lemonade
    cookie
    bike
    red grapes
    spinach
    dog
    cream sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

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  33. Lena
    March 29, 2010 / 5:31 am

    Boy did that lamb look amazing!! You really need to feature more red meat ;). Not that I’ll make any, but it would sound sooo wonderful :D.
    ice water
    lemonade
    cookie
    run
    green grapes
    lettuce
    dog
    cream sauce
    white wine
    broccoli

  34. Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday
    March 29, 2010 / 8:51 am

    iced tea (unsweetened)
    limeade
    cookie
    run
    black grapes
    spinach
    dog
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli

  35. John
    March 29, 2010 / 6:52 pm

    niether
    lemonade
    brownie since you didn’t specify the cookie
    run
    red grapes
    spinach
    either
    cream sauce
    niether
    either

  36. CaSaundra
    March 30, 2010 / 8:10 am

    I recently read an article of farro–I’ve been meaning to get some. I am going to WF in a few weeks, so maybe I will pick some up there! Can you believe I’ve never had lamb? It’s definitely on my list!

  37. Sophie @ yumventures
    March 30, 2010 / 12:25 pm

    iced coffee
    lemonade
    brownie
    run
    green grapes
    spinach
    cat
    red sauce
    red wine
    broccoli ๐Ÿ™‚

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