Ancient Grains - Discovering Farro

Though Quinoa has dominated the national food conversation for quite some time, there's an upstart grain that's gaining steady popularity, and though it may seem newly on the scene, Farro is as old as they come. Ancient, in fact. Much of my education on Farro comes from this wonderful article I found on NPR. It was here that I learned that there are really three varieties of Farro, and that their differences are determined by whether or not the bran has been removed. We'll be using the Emmer Variety, which is the most common and best if you're looking for a shorter cook time. Aren't we always? 

Farro Salad With Arugula & Purple Carrots, Photo: NK

Emmer is also known by its Latin name, triticum dicoccum.  

Farro has an especially rich history - it is the grain from which many others sprung, and it served as the primary food of the Roman Legion. You might imagine it to be a pretty special grain if it could nourish an army. Indeed, the health benefits of Farro are many. Preparation-wise, it's just as versatile as rice, and it cooks -and looks- a lot like barley. Your can serve it on its own, add it to soups or toss into salads, as we are about to do today. Especially adept cooks might like to transform it into risotto. 

Purple Carrots, Photo: NK

Our hearty Farro Salad will get a little extra flair from the addition of Purple Carrots, a colorful variety of the more common veggie that I've recently discovered. Like Farro, Purple Carrots go back in time quite a ways themselves. In fact, all carrots were originally purple before being bred to be the orange roots that we recognize today. Why would they ever want to change these beauties? Gorgeous though they may be, this carrot variety is incredibly healthful as well.Their deep purple color is thanks to anthocyanins, the antioxidant compounds responsible for the deep hue of Blueberries and their super nutritious status. 

Peppery Arugula, another nutrient powerhouse, anchors our salad while a bright Orange Vinaigrette offers a subtle punch. Salty Pecorino Romano lends the round note to complete this satisfying melange of flavors. An ideal potluck, picnic dish, or make-ahead lunch, this Farro Salad tastes even better left over once seasonings truly marry. Farro is a sturdy grain, too. Make it ahead and it will keep its texture and pleasant chewiness until you're down to the last bite. Enjoy! 

Farro & Arugula Salad With Purple Carrots 
Serves 4 

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Water
3/4 Cup Farro, the triticum dicoccum variety, optionally soaked a few hours and then rinsed 
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 large Purple or traditional Orange Carrots, peeled and diced 
1 small bunch of Arugula cut into thin ribbons and roughly chopped
1-2 ounces Pecorino Romano Cheese cut into thin shards and crumbled 
For the dressing:
1.5 teaspoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
Salt and Pepper to taste 

Method: 
1. Combine the Farro and Water in a medium saucepan and add the Kosher Salt. Bring to a boil over a high flame. Reduce heat to a medium flame and simmer, covered, for about thirty minutes. Set Farro aside and allow to cool a bit.

2. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. 

3. Toss the Farro with the Arugula, diced Carrots, and Pecorino Cheese. Slowly pour the dressing over, tossing gently until well incorporated. Ideally, allow this to sit at least a half hour. If you need to serve it right away that's ok too. Taste for Salt and add a few turns of freshly ground Pepper. Serve and enjoy!

Meatless Monday (De Mayo) - Lighter Veggie Quesadillas + Grape Tomato Salsa Fresca

Grape Tomato Salsa Fresca - easy, light & fast! Photo: NK

Sluggish Monday or not, you probably know by now that in our house, we'd never let Cinco De Mayo pass unnoticed (do take a look back at our 2012 and 2013 Mexican-inspired food celebrations). 

We're skipping the margaritas this year (let's call it our half-hearted attempt to behave like model citizens a few weekdays), and streamlining recipe prep work more than usual because, well, after a weekend, it takes us a bit more effort to get in the swing of things. 

Still, we're in a celebratory mood for a few reasons, one of which being that just last week, Neurotic Kitchen took great pleasure in receiving the official seal of approval from MeatlessMonday.com. This wonderful internet destination for all things meatless noticed our frequent participation in the eponymous movement, and for that, we're grateful. Needless to say, we're even more eager to continue to support this important health initiative and will look forward to creating many more Meatless Monday dishes to share with you. So today's question was, could Cinco De Mayo be yummy minus meat? The answer - a resounding si! 

Easy Veggie Quesadillas With Grape Tomato Salsa Fresca, Photo: NK

To achieve our meatless mission, we whipped up a fast and super light salsa fresca to go with simple (just 5 ingredients) yet delicious veggie quesadillas made with a quick black bean mash, avocado, and baby spinach. Some melty white cheddar seals this tasty, handheld package up in no time flat. We tried to keep our ingredients as wholesome and clean as possible, and you'll find this dish to be kid friendly too. We hope you enjoy! 

Lighter Veggie Quesadillas + Grape Tomato Salsa Fresca
Adapted from Epicurious
Serves 4 - about 3 slices of quesadilla each

Ingredients:
For the Quesadillas:
15 Ounce Can Organic Black Beans, rinsed well and drained
1 teaspoon Cholula or similar vinegary hot sauce
1 Avocado, cut into thin slices
About 2-3 Ounces Baby Spinach (we like to buy pre-washed for ease of use)
1 Cup Light (low fat) White Cheddar, grated, or similar cheese
4 Large 10-inch Whole WheatTortillas or Wraps (like La Tortilla Factory 100 calorie wraps)
Sliced Jalapeños - optional

For the Salsa Fresca:
1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro, plus more sprigs for garnish
About 2 Cups Organic Grape Tomatoes, sliced into thirds or fourths
1.5 teaspoons fresh Lime Juice 
1/4 cup chopped Red Onion
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Salt 

Method:
1. Mix up the Salsa Fresca ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss well and set aside.

Assembling the Quesadillas, Photo: NK 

2. Prepare the black bean mash by pouring beans into a medium bowl and adding the hot sauce. Now lightly mash them with a large spoon. They should be somewhere in between smooth and chunky. Mix well. (NOTE- if you omit the hot sauce for any reason you must remember to season the black bean mash with some salt. The hot sauce places a significant role in imparting more flavor to the beans).

3. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. To assemble the Quesadillas, lay out 4 tortillas on a clean surface. Spread each tortilla with one quarter of the black bean mixture (don't spread beans all the way to the edge or they will spill out), then add 1/4 of the avocado slices to each tortilla. Now add a handful of spinach leaves to each tortilla, and finish with about 4 tablespoons of grated cheese per quesadilla. 

4. Fold quesadillas carefully in half and apply some pressure with your hands. Cook them 2 by 2 on the hot skillet (or more at a time if you have room) allowing them to grill on each side for 2-3 minutes before flipping. The quesadillas should brown nicely but not burn (some grill marks will appear as well). Press them down with a spatula to help the cheese melt and seal. Remove quesadillas to a cutting board and allow to cool slightly. Slice into 3 triangles a piece using a serrated knife and plate. Serve with Salsa Fresca, sprigs of cilantro, a sprinkling of sliced jalapeños and, of course, extra hot sauce. Enjoy!