I've been trying to eat more grains and beans lately. Not all the time, but a couple times a week. You can never really have too much fiber. Well, I guess you could, but it would take a whole lot... lots more than I would ever eat in a day. But even though the grains and beans are good for you, by themselves there's not a whole lot of flavor. They need help to taste good. Chick peas are one of my favorite beans, and I probably eat those more than any other. Grains are another story. Most of them are so mealy and chewy, and I'm just not a big fan of that. I'm trying hard to get past it though. I've done it with quinoa, and am working on it with farro. Until about 9 months ago I didn't even know what farro was. But then one day we were having lunch at Karsten Creek golf course, and their lunch special was a dish made with it. I had them bring me a small taste... and to my surprise, I really liked it. It was still chewy, but the dish had really good flavor. So I bought some and looked for recipes on Pinterest. A recipe that I've made a couple of times but am just now getting around to posting is Farro Salad with Asparagus and Feta. Here is the official picture
And here is my version
I really enjoy this dish. Even though there's tons of fiber from the farro, asparagus and chick peas, its still a very light dish. I cook the farro in veggie broth, same as quinoa, to infuse it with more flavor. I also toast it first to bring out the nuttiness. I've toasted it both with and without the butter, and I use Smart Balance spread to keep it lighter. I've always kept it vegetarian, but I think grilled chicken would be a nice addition. The recipe calls for the farro to be cooled after cooking. But since I make this for lunch, I don't have time to wait for that. It also says to steam the asparagus. But instead I sauté it in a small pan. Adds more flavor and color. The only drawback to this dish is its very savory and earthy, so about 15 minutes later I'm ready for something sweet.
