Ancient Grains: Farro Salad Recipe

Here's another gem from Giada De Laurentiis's Everyday Italian that I discovered while borrowing her cookbook from the library.

This recipe caught my eye since it featured a grain I'd never tried before - the Ancient Roman grain of "FARRO". I picked up the grain on a trip to Whole Foods Market, and though I initially balked at the $8 price tag, I decided it was worth while since it was enough to make two batches of this healthy entree salad.

The grain Farro was suprisingly light yet chewy, and worth every penny! This salad would be perfect for a summer picnic, or in tonight's case, the perfect way to forget about the chilly winter air outside!

Farro Salad with Tomatoes and Herbs

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

35 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 pound tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 sweet onion (recommended: Walla Walla) chopped
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

• Combine the water and farro in a medium saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes.Drain well, and then transfer to a large bowl to cool.
• Add the tomatoes, onion, chives, and parsley to the farro, and toss to combine.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat.
• The salad can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Everyday Italian: Spicy Tomato Sauce Recipe

Inspired by an episode of Anna & Kristina's Grocery Bag where they reviewed the cookbook "Everyday Italian" by Giada De Laurentiis, I checked it out from my local library and was very pleased!

While it isn't a vegetarian cookbook, there were a handful of recipes that I have since added to my binder of go-to favorites. What stood out about her recipes is that they truly are everyday meals - the ingredients are mostly items that I can stock in my pantry and the many of the recipes come together in less than 30 minutes. Despite the simplicity, I was surprised by how much fresh flavor these recipes packed.

Earlier this week I made Giada's "Spicy Tomato Sauce" and simply had to share it. If you love Arrabiata (spicy) or Puttanesca (with Olives and Capers) tomato sauce, this one's for you.

Thank you to TasteBook.com for publishing the recipe online for me to share:

Spicy Tomato Sauce from Giada de Laurentiis's Everyday Italian

The sauce known as all’arrabbiata—or “in the angry style”—is made with hot red pepper flakes (and sometimes fresh chilies for an extra kick). I like to use the briny elements of olives and capers and skip the fresh chilies, adding depth to the spiciness rather than just more heat. Perfect with penne or rigatoni.

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small onion, minced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped

• 2 tablespoons drained capers, rinsed

• ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

• Generous pinch of dried crushed redpepper flakes

• 1 28-ounce can crushed Italiantomatoes

  
  

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. When almost smok

  ing, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the olives, capers, ½ teaspoon of salt, and red pepper flakes, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer until reduced slightly, about 20 minutes. Season the sauce with more salt to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

  
  

  Yields: Serves 4 over a pound of pasta as a main course

  
  

  
  
• A batch I whipped up the other night, with the addition of two diced Tofurkey Italian Sausages for some added protein.
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• An up-close look at the texture of the sauce, chock-full of black olives, capers, and crushed tomatoes.

Quick weeknight Dinner: Potato Entrees

Thank you to Vegetarian Times magazine for introducing me to a really quick and delicious dinner idea. Despite the simplicity, these Pesto Potatoes are packed with flavor and are ready in about 5 minutes with ingredients I can keep on hand.

This recipe also inspired me to start thinking of potatoes as an alternative to pasta or rice as the base for a meal. What toppings do you think would turn a potato (or sweet potato) into a satisfying main dish?

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Pesto Potatoes serves 2 l 30 minutes or fewer
A baked potato tastes good 24/7 and fills you up like a meal. Stuffing spuds with tofu, pine nuts, artichoke hearts and Parmesan-laced pesto turns them into a protein-packed one-dish lunch or dinner with a Mediterranean flair. Share this overstuffed treat with an office mate or college roomie, or just save half for later.
1 medium-size baking potato
3 canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (I used frozen)
2 Tbs. soft silken tofu
2 Tbs. prepared pesto
2 Tbs. pine nuts
3 purchased croutons, crushed
1. Prick potato 4 or 5 times with fork. Microwave on high 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender in the center. Cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, mash together artichoke hearts, tofu, pesto and pine nuts in bowl. Hold potato in paper towel, and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh, leaving thin layer of potato on skin, and mash it into tofu mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refill both halves of potato, mounding filling. Sprinkle with crushed croutons, and return to microwave. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until hot.
PER SERVING: 295 CAL; 10G PROT; 13G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 38G CARB; 2MG CHOL; 639MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 4G SUGARS

recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine http://www.vegetariantimes.com/features/editors_picks/492