Category: Grains

That’s Fresh

Grains

Today’s lunch was simple, but satisfying. And, per usual—a spontaneous repurposing of leftovers. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: farro is fantastic. I always make it in big batches since it takes forever to cook and it keeps really well for at least a couple of weeks.

It gets a little dry hanging out in the fridge, so when I reheat a bowl’s worth in a little saucepan, I perk it up with a quarter cup of bone broth on high heat. The liquid gets absorbed quickly, and it tastes great.

I had some leftover green beans, too. I quickly pan-fried them in some spicy oil and tossed them in with the farro. Topped off with a generous handful of parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice, plus salt and pepper. Boom! A totally fresh taste from some not-super-fresh leftovers.

It’s a good thing that I (sort of) enjoy the challenge of sprucing up days-old food because I’ve been too tired and too busy with work to leave my house for quite awhile. I mean, I’ve stepped outside to take out the garbage and gather the mail, but I’m not sure that counts! Living in the country as I do, going to the grocery story is a pretty major journey. So in busy times, I tend to put it off.

While I have more than enough food to last me for a good long time, I’m definitely running low on some of my favorite pantry items and I used the last of my fresh produce tonight when I made roasted carrots and baked potatoes. (Spoiler alert: You’ll see them featured in tomorrow’s lunch.)

I cannot wait to make a trip to the produce stand, and if the stars are truly aligned, to one of my favorite local area farms. Roasted fresh vegetables are just the best, and in my view, unsurpassed in their simplicity and deliciousness. So I’ll look forward to having a new supply soon. In the meantime, my leftovers are pretty darn good.

Farro is Far Out

Grains

I feel very good about my lunch today. It’s a little bit higher production value than I normally go for. But wow, my work day was stressing me out! Somehow slow-cooking a big pot of farro was just what the doctor ordered. (Bulk bags from Palouse Brand are highly recommended.) That, and roasting a tray of carrots with olive oil and a generous handful of fresh herbs.

These two things combined are like the world’s simplest and not-terribly-expensive meal. So you can feel thrifty and style-y all at the same time.

When I sat down to enjoy this wonderful combination of grains and roasted vegetables, I stopped mid-meal to consider what I might do to make it even more amazing and delicious. “A bright lemony-gingery-mustardy sauce” was what pretty quickly came to mind. So I made one with not-measured quantities of lemon juice, grated ginger, stoneground mustard, olive oil and salt. Heck yeah! It was pure perfection drizzled over my plate. Plus, a bit of grated Romano cheese and a little bit of ground pepper.

Best of all, I have plenty of leftovers to enjoy later this week.

This is a good combo. Try it and lemme know what you think.