Have you ever tried Farro? If not, you’re in for a treat. Farro, also known as Emmer Wheat is an ancient grain which has been popular in Italy for many years and is gaining plenty of well deserved recognition in North America as of late. It’s a wonderfully nutritious whole grain with a pleasing nutty taste and awesome chewy texture when fully cooked. It is quite high in fiber (higher than most conventional grains) and contains about 6 grams of protein per 1/4 cup along with several vitamins and minerals. Being related to wheat, Farro does contain gluten, so it’s not suitable for anyone with celiac disease, however, there is evidence that soaking it for several hours before cooking can be helpful for those with a gluten intolerance.
We enjoy this hearty grain in our home for breakfast, lunch or dinner year round, but especially in the colder months when it can be tossed into a warm salads, eaten with cooked apples and coconut yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, or stuffed into a toasty sweet potato with mushrooms, garlic and Fall harvest vegetables. Feeling hungry? Keep reading…
You came to the right place today! This recipe features so many delicious Fall inspired flavours…I know you’ll love it! Warm sweet potatoes are packed with a Farro & crimini mushroom stuffing, then topped with fresh arugula and red cabbage. Rosemary balsamic dressing adds the perfect flavour contrast to the natural and subtle sweetness of this dish. This one is an easy favourite in our home.
I’m going to keep this one short today, but I do hope you give this recipe a try soon! I trust you’re having a fantastic November “stuffed” with warm, cozy and nutritious food 😉
Big hugs!
MUSHROOM & FARRO STUFFED SWEET POTATOES w/ ROSEMARY BALSAMIC DRESSING
A hearty Autumnal main dish featuring cooked Farro and crimini mushroom stuffed into a toasty sweet potato and topped with fresh arugula, diced red cabbage and drizzled with rosemary balsamic dressing. A perfect contrast of delicious Fall flavours!
| Serves 4 |
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 cup uncooked organic Farro (look for semi-pearled, as opposed to whole Farro)*
- 2 cups vegetables broth
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 10 crimini mushroom, diced
- 2 tbsp filtered water
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1 cup fresh arugula
- 1/2 cup diced red cabbage
For the Rosemary Balsamic Dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (or 1/4 tsp dried)
- 3 tbsp filtered water
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 fresh black pepper
METHOD
1. Prepare the rosemary balsamic dressing: Add all the ingredients to a high powered blender and blend on high for 30 seconds, or until fully emulsified (it should have a creamy texture). Set aside.
2. Cook the Farro: Rinse and drain the Farro in a fine mesh sieve. Place in a medium saucepan, add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the majority of the broth is absorbed. Drain off any excess liquid. Set aside.
3. While the Farro is cooking, bake the sweet potatoes: preheat the oven to 400′ F. Wash & scrub the sweet potatoes, then cut in half lengthwise. Place the sweet potatoes flesh side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in large frying pan heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the diced onion and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent and start to brown (about 5-7 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium and add in the diced mushrooms, cumin, coriander and 2 tbsp of water and cook, stirring often, until the mushroom are softened and release their water (about 15-20 minutes). Add the cooked/drained Farro and heat, stirring occasionally, over medium for 5-10 minutes to blend the flavours together.
5. Remove the cooked sweet potatoes from the oven and let cool 10 minutes. Carefully turn over the sweet potatoes and cut the flesh in half lengthwise to create an opening for the filling. Fluff the sweet potatoes with a fork. Try not to break the skin and use caution as they will be quite hot.
6. Plate each sweet potatoe, then top with fresh arugula, a good portion of the mushroom Farro stuffing, a sprinkling of finely chopped red cabbage and a several tablespoons of rosemary balsamic dressing.
Enjoy!
Note | *most commercially available Farro is “pearled” or “semi- pearled” which means it has most, or all of the bran and germ removed. I use semi-pearled Farro to keep more of their nutrition in tact. Note that Farro is a relative of wheat and thus not suitable for anyone with celiac disease or intolerance to wheat or gluten. You can cook the Farro and make the rosemary balsamic dressing ahead of time; be sure to store in the fridge in a airtight container until ready to use.
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