Farro is back with a Reese’s stand in
I’m a huge fan of farro — not because I’m obsessed with the taste, necessarily, but I love how filling it is and the protein, fiber, magnesium, zinc and B vitamins we get from it. Just 1/4 cup contains 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein (wow!) It does have a nutty taste that’s different than other complex grains. I often experiment with swapping it for pastas or rice which is where this week’s Farro zucchini salad came from. I swapped farro for orzo (orzo is just another pasta so it’s extra carb, extra glucose heavy and less ideal ingredient wise) and it was REALLY tasty. Frank and I had it for dinner without an added protein but it’d be great as a side or with some grilled shrimp on top. The next time I make it I think I’m going to throw some feta on, too!
Prep Ahead: Farro Zucchini Salad
Modified from Dishing Out Health’s recipe with Orzo.
Ingredients:
2 cups water (to cook the farro)
1 cup farro (I get it at Thrive Market, Publix, Harris Teeter or Whole Foods).
2 medium zucchinis sliced/ diced
1/2 cup walnut halves, cut to crumbled/finer pieces.
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup diced pepperoncini’s
1/4 cup diced scallions/green onions (use both green and white parts)
2 Tbsp fresh (or dried) parsley OR basil. Either works great.
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 Tsp ground cumin or coriander
1/4 cup shaved parmesan (I’d love feta alternatively too!)
Assembly:
Cook your farro (boil it in water according to directions). Sautee the crumbled walnuts for 3-5 minutes in avocado oil or ghee to brown and get flavor kicking. Transfer them to a bowl until needed. Add more oil/ghee to the same pan, sautee the zucchinis 5-7 minutes until softened and cooked. To make dressing in separate bowl — add the browned walnuts, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, diced pepperoncinis, scallions, parsley/basil, coriander/cumin and then salt and pepper to taste. Mix dressing. Take drained farro and add to zucchini’s then toss to combine with dressing. Stir in cheese as last step. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!!!
No bake peanut butter cups
Chase and I made these last week and I like them better than the typical no bake energy ball recipe we all know — maybe it’s because of the thick chocolate top layer! They were fun and easy to make. The original recipe calls for almond flour which I didn’t have on hand, but I felt like ground flaxseed would probably be a suitable swap, and it worked fabulously. Flaxseed is high in ALA Omega-3 fats (the same fat nutrient that’s in walnuts) and are great for heart health. Side note and nutrition lesson — these are not the same fat nutrient that are in Omega-3’s from fish. Those are EPA/DHA Omega-3’s. All are great for us (though DHA/EPA’s are probably the best). But ALA’s are nutritional too and partially convert to EPA/DHA in our body — so enjoy these thinking about the heart-healthy benefits you’re getting! PS…. I also cut the maple syrup amount slightly from the original recipe and noted that below.
Modified from Hungry Happens recipe on IG.
Ingredients:
1 cup of rolled oats (I always try to buy organic since glyphosate residue tests higher on oats that are non-organic).
1/4 cup ground flaxseed (Trader Joe’s has a good sized bag).
1 cup natural peanut butter (natural is healthier but any kind can work).
1/3 cup of maple syrup (original recipe called for 1/2 cup).
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Topping Mixture: 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 2 Tbsp peanut butter, flakes of salt
Assembly:
In a mixing bowl, combine oats, flaxseed, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Scoop out in muffin tin lined with liners or I just sprayed them with coconut oil. Flatten them out then freeze the tray for at least 2 hours. Next, make the chocolate topping by melting the chocolate chips and peanut butter and stirring them constantly until smooth and all melted. Remove freezer tray of peanut butter cups and add 1-2 Tbsp of the chocolate mix on top. Smooth out the layer and top with flakes of salt. Freeze for at least 1 more hour. We ate them pretty much straight out of the freezer…. they thawed enough to enjoy pretty quickly. These are a much healthier peanut butter and chocolate alternative than most of what’s store-bought. Enjoy!