Farro Harvest Bowl
- Courses, Dairy-Free, Diet, Dinner, Fall, Lunch, Recipes, Season, Vegan, Vegetarian
- October 7, 2021
- Ashley Tyrner
Prep
15 mins
cook
25 mins
serves
6
There is nothing quite like a warm, hearty bowl of food to go with cooler, autumn temperatures. While in the summer we may gravitate towards lighter, more refreshing foods to help keep us cool from the blazing hot sun, once the weather starts becoming a bit chillier, I find that warm, comfort foods are definitely my favorite to prepare. Also, I’m not sure what it is about hot foods being served in a deep bowl, but there is something incredibly soothing and comforting about meals that are eaten in rounded dishes with spoons (be it soup, chili, or stew.) Today’s harvest bowl recipe, for example, is a wonderful dinner that doubles as an easy lunch of leftovers, is filled with farro and delicious fruits and vegetables that offer your mouth the tastes of fall bite after bite. Serve it while hot and the steam is dancing on top in your favorite round dish and in a comfy, cozy sweater for the ultimate autumn vibe.
What is farro?
At the base of today’s festive fall recipe, you’ll find that it uses the unique ingredient farro. It is similar to rice in many ways, being that it is super versatile, cooks as easily as rice or any other grain, and can be eaten with quite literally everything. Farro is an ancient grain (that actually describes three different grains) with origins dating back thousands of years to Mesopotamia. It is one of the more nutrient-dense grains given its high levels of zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B3. Farro is also high in fiber making it a great option for a gut health-supporting food, as well as containing several antioxidants that help protect your body from cell damage caused by harmful free radicals. It is supported on a plant-based diet, and is also a healthy alternative to white rice.
With farro being so versatile and able to adapt to different flavors and tastes, I recommend experimenting with how you use it in your kitchen. Opt for a savory, comforting dish as in today’s recipe, but also explore how farro can be used in veggie burgers, salads, and even soup. This is one pantry staple you’ll always want to have on hand because it is simple to add alongside any meal for an added nutritional and satiating side.
Fruits & Veggies
Oftentimes I feel as though we “have” to eat vegetables with vegetables and fruits with other fruits and that we cannot combine them. There isn’t actually truth to this, but it’s something I find myself doing unconsciously. The experimenting of the two together however, is something I love testing out when I am cooking new recipes to find out which vegetables actually complement which fruits and vice versa. You’ll find in the ingredients listed for today’s harvest bowl, that we incorporate the apples and cranberries, two very popular end-of-the-year flavors with acorn squash, which is definitely another crowd favorite as we enter the holiday season. The juicy, sweet flavors from the fruits really compliment the rooted, dense flavor of the squash for a harmonious, fall-time mouth full. Another way you can mix fruits and veggies is by adding fruits to salads as opposed to keeping them all-veg. Fruits in salad provide a refreshing, light taste with a contrasting balance on top of the yummy greenness, and can also be used as the base of salad dressings, such is the case with a raspberry vinaigrette.
Whether you prefer to keep fruits and vegetables separate or combine them, I recommend using a produce delivery service like FarmboxRx for convenient grocery delivery. Now that more households have adopted the working from home lifestyle, you can easily incorporate more healthy foods into your home by utilizing a fruits and vegetable delivery service. The groceries will be delivered to your house while you’re working, so you won’t need to interrupt your workflow by running out to the supermarket. It’s kind of like being in two places at once. Talk about efficiency!
As the autumn time is here and the leaves are changing colors, so can the flavors and recipes of your home. Remember to try to include more seasonal fruits and vegetables into your diet that are aligned with their growing season for the best tasting produce possible. When you eat with the seasons, you help adjust your body to the rhythm of nature. With the harvest here, we encourage you to try out new, holiday-previewing recipes such as today’s. Now let’s jump right into this farro harvest bowl recipe. Be sure to try it out for yourself and give us a tag at @FarmboxRx and make sure to use the hashtag #FarmboxRx #FarmboxLiving so that we can see how the recipe turns out.
Ingredients
2 cups farro
4 cups water
2 medium apples
4 oz carrots
1 medium acorn squash
1 medium shallot
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup feta
3 tbsp sage
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425º Fahrenheit.
- Prepare ingredients. Chop apples into small pieces, removing the core. Cut carrots in half widthwise, then cut in half lengthwise and repeat to form wedges. Slice shallot into thick disks. Roughly chop sage.
- Prepare acorn squash. Slice the stem off the squash and peel. Slice squash in half and spoon out the seeds and guts. Slice remaining squash flesh into about 1-inch cubes.
- Toss carrots, squash, and shallots in the olive oil and salt. Spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until squash and carrots are fork tender.
- While vegetables are baking, prepare farro. Add farro, sage, and water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until farro is tender. Strain off excess water.
- Assemble grain bowls by layering farro, topping with roasted vegetables, apples, cranberries, and feta. Toss to mix, and enjoy warm!
Farro Harvest Bowl
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 cup farro
- 4 cup water
- 2 apples medium
- 4 oz carrots
- 1 acorn squash medium
- 1 shallot medium
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup feta
- 3 tbsp sage
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º F.
- Prepare ingredients. Chop apples into small pieces, removing the core. Cut carrots in half widthwise, then cut in half lengthwise and repeat to form wedges. Slice shallot into thick disks. Roughly chop sage.
- Prepare acorn squash. Slice the stem off the squash and peel. Slice squash in half and spoon out the seeds and guts. Slice remaining squash flesh into about 1-inch cubes.
- Toss carrots, squash, and shallots in the olive oil and salt. Spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until squash and carrots are fork tender.
- While vegetables are baking, prepare farro. Add farro, sage, and water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until farro is tender. Strain off excess water.
- Assemble grain bowls by layering farro, topping with roasted vegetables, apples, cranberries, and feta. Toss to mix, and enjoy warm!