“Make It Snappy” is presented by Goldfish Swim School of Chapel Hill. With recipes that only take 45 minutes or less to prepare, Christy helps you stay afloat at dinner time! 

The “bowl” concept is all the rage these days — and for a very good reason. Building a one dish meal from a grain base and adding protein and veggies gives you the flexibility to adjust ingredients to your tastes. You can take bowls in any direction and build them to fit any flavor profile you’d like. Plus, they are so simple there is no way you can ever get them wrong!

My sons are six, four and two years old and I have found that serving bowls for dinner is a guaranteed way to get them to eat protein and vegetables. When I present them with a plate where each component is portioned in its own area, it’s easy for them to choose not to eat the veggie portions or ignore the protein. But when I combine it all together in one bowl, they are far more likely to dig in and eat whatever is in that bowl without choosing to avoid one ingredient altogether.

Farro is new to our family, but it has been a big hit! It looks similar to rice and cooks in much the same manner, but it has a heartier texture and a nice tender bite that rice does not have. The package cooking directions will have you rinse the farro before cooking, which I do, but I substitute the water that it calls for with chicken broth and add aromatics to the pot to create deeper flavors. The toasting step is optional, though highly recommended as it serves as another step in building layers of flavor in the dish.

As is often the case with my recipes, this Mediterranean Farro Bowl is more of a guide than a rule. If you prefer a vegetarian meal, simply omit the chicken. I am using farro here but you may of course substitute with the grain of your choice. Rice, couscous or quinoa are all wonderful options as well. Most of these grains are offered as quick cooking boxed products on the store shelves that will also help you save time on busy weeknights.

We’re once again taking some extra help from the grocery store by picking up premade tzatziki and hummus from the refrigerated section by the produce aisles. You may make your own if you prefer, but if you don’t, you have my full permission to buy premade and not feel a single bit guilty about it!

 

 

MEDITERRANEAN FARRO BOWLS

By: Christy Bray Graves

SERVES: 4-5

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CHICKEN (optional)

  • 2 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • Juice from ¼ of a fresh lemon
  • 1-2 tsp dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper

FOR THE FARRO

  • 1-2 TBSP olive oil (enough to lightly coat the bottom of a large skillet)
  • 2 cups dried, pearled farro*
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock**
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh oregano***
  • 2 whole garlic cloves, peeled and halved
  • ½ of a large shallot, halved
  • 2 bay leaves

FOR THE BOWLS

  • chickpeas
  • cucumber slices
  • feta cheese
  • tzatziki sauce
  • hummus
  • fresh oregano
  • grape tomatoes
  • fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE CHICKEN

  1. Preheat your grill to high heat.
  2. Wrap each chicken breast in plastic wrap and use a mallet to pound the chicken until the entire breast is an even thickness, approximately ¼-½ inch. Sprinkle each breast liberally with dried oregano, salt and pepper.
  3. In a shallow dish or zip top bag, marinate the seasoned chicken in olive oil and lemon juice for 15-20 minutes as you begin to toast and cook the farro.
  4. Once the farro is covered and simmering, turn the grill down to medium heat and place the chicken on the grill over direct heat. Cook for 9 minutes, flipping halfway through. At the 9-minute mark, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Pull the chicken off the grill as soon as the thermometer hits 165°. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

FOR THE FARRO

  1. Rinse the farro under cold water.
  2. Coat the bottom of a large skillet in olive oil and heat the oil over medium heat.
  3. Add the farro to the hot skillet and stir gently to lightly coat the farro in the olive oil. Toast the farro over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until the color begins to deepen and the farro puts off a nutty aroma.
  4. Add the chicken or veggie stock, oregano sprigs, halved garlic cloves, shallot quarters and bay leaves to the large skillet. Be sure that all of sprigs, garlic and shallot are large enough pieces to remove from the pot once the farro is done.**
  5. Bring the broth to a boil, cover and simmer over low-medium heat for 20-25 minutes. If your farro is not pearled, simply follow the cooking directions listed on the package.*
  6. Once the farro has absorbed all of the liquid, remove the oregano sprigs, garlic, shallots and bay leaves. Stir, taste and adjust the seasoning as you see fit.
  7. Serve farro bowls with grilled chicken and finish with additional fresh lemon juice. Add chickpeas cucumber, feta cheese, tzatziki, humus and whatever fresh veggies and herbs your family enjoys.

NOTES

*There are different types of farro (pearled, semi-pearled and hulled) and each will require different cooking times. Be sure to follow the package cooking directions if your farro is not pearled.

**The package directions will likely call for water, but I prefer chicken or veggie stock to give the farro additional flavor.

***Adding aromatics such as sprigs of herbs, garlic and shallots is optional but they infuse the farro with fantastic flavor. Be sure that these remain in large enough chunks that they can be fished out when the farro is done cooking.

 

As a wife and mom of three young boys, I often consider myself a master “chaos coordinator.” Between running our family business, Chapel Hill Toffee, managing our household and balancing busy schedules, I love to create quick and simple recipes that I know my family will enjoy – and my kids will actually eat!

My recipes are more of a guide than a perfect plan. I will always encourage you to use what you have on hand and make substitutions to suit your tastes. I invite you to share your own ideas, questions and final products with us on Facebook  and on Instagram by tagging @christybgraves and @wchlchapelboro.

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