Farro the Ancient Grain everyone should be eating

I want to introduce you to an ancient grain that has been around for thousands of years but you don’t seem to hear much about. Farro. This wheat grain originates from Mesopotamia and it refers to not just one type of grain but 3, Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt, the names are interchangeable and can be used in different countries or regions.

All Farro is wheat so it does contain some gluten and may not be suitable for those who are sensitive or have an allergy to wheat or gluten. However, soaking it overnight and sprouting it can make it easier for digestion.

Before Farro is cooked it looks like wheat berries and after it looks like barely.

The texture is chewy and the flavour is nutty. Farro works well in both savoury dishes like soups, stews, salads, bowls as well as porridge.

Nutritional Content: In 1/4cup

• 170 calories

• 1g Fat

• 5g fiber

• 6g protein

• 20% of B3

• 15% of both Magnesium and Zinc

• 4% of Iron

Benefits of Farro

• Fibre: most diets lack fibre and this is a good source that can help decrease the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, help lower cholesterol, improve digestive health and the gut biome.

• Zinc: This mineral helps with many different functions including immunity, digestion, mental health, wound health, metabolism and many more

• Magnesium: Another very important mineral that is essential to our functioning, read my previous blog on the importance of getting enough magnesium.

• Protein: The amounts of protein found in farro is equivalent to that in quinoa, and is high than most processed grains.

There are a few different varieties of farro and I recommend buying the whole grain variety rather than the pearled or semi-pearled due to the bran being stripped from the others. It does make the cooking process a little longer but it’s worth it.

Sarah’s Super Easy Farro Salad:

• Cook the farro as directed on the package

• In a large mixing bowl rough chop a good handful of greens, like spinach in this recipe but any green will do.

• Add in a good amount of pesto to your mixing bowl

• Add in your warm farro to wilt your greens and warm the pesto

• Rough chop add into bowl artichokes, olives and anything else you have in the fridge you need to use up. I have added celery, carrots, peppers etc. This salad is very forgiving.

• Stir, taste and adjust with more pesto, sea salt, lemon, fresh herbs etc

Note: If you are lucky to have an instant pot, I use 1:3 (farro:water) ration of dry farro and cook for 5 minutes on the pressure cooking setting letting it naturally release. The farro is still chewy but cooked, perfect for this salad.

I hope you try and enjoy this recipe, feel free to share how you made it your own!

Happy cooking and eating!!

Sarah

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