Cinnamon-Spiced Farro Breakfast Bowl with Hazelnuts, Honey, and Berries
At some point in my adult life, farro squeezed out oatmeal as my favorite morning grain. Farro is an ancient type of wheat that’s similar to barley in texture. One reason I prefer it to oats is because farro doesn’t stick to the pot like oatmeal does, making it far easier to clean up after breakfast. But farro’s appeal goes deeper than that. Each grain cooks up distinct and chewy, like a plump version of brown rice. Its flavor is pleasantly nutty and subtler than spelt or wheat berries, which means it can easily soak up warm spices like cinnamon. I like to keep single-serving portions of farro in my fridge or freezer to throw together a breakfast grain bowl in minutes.
Oats are good, farro is even better
Like oats, farro is packed with plant-based protein and the soluble fiber that is shown to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels, promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria, and help you feel full longer. When it comes to minerals and antioxidants, farro even has a slight edge over oats, with more iron, magnesium, vitamin E, and zinc, all key nutrients in brain health.
What type of farro is best?
Shopping for farro can be confusing. Processing farro removes some of its nutritious germ and bran—that’s where the vitamin E concentrates—but also makes it cook up faster. Whole farro is the least processed variety. It has the strongest flavor and can take up to an hour to cook. “Semi-pearled” farro has been processed to remove some of the outer husk; it cooks up faster and has a pleasing, chewy texture. “Pearled” is the most processed of the farro varieties. For most of my recipes, I prefer semi-pearled farro.
Whatever farro you get your hands on, know that cooking times vary depending on how fresh your farro is and how it’s been milled. I get consistently good results with the organic semi-pearled farro made by Bob’s Red Mill. It cooks up in 20 to 25 minutes and can be found in most grocery stores. An overnight soak in water, if you have time will decrease the cooking time to 10 minutes. Just make sure to rinse well before proceeding with the recipe.
A flexible template for a whole grain breakfast bowl
Like many of my recipes, I want to encourage you to work with what you have in the kitchen. This is a flexible template with so many ways to mix it up. Other whole grains, such as brown rice, forbidden rice, quinoa, or freekeh will all work, though of course the cooking time will be different.
Same goes for the milk: Replace almond with cashew, oat, hemp, or other type of milk. My only suggestion is that it has no added sugar and stabilizers. Hazelnuts are delicious, but of course you can swap in toasted walnuts, pistachios or almonds. Don’t like honey? Then go for maple syrup or fruit butter.
Here’s my quick method of making this breakfast bowl from mostly frozen ingredients: I grab toasted hazelnuts, berries, and cooked and cinnamon-spiced farro from the freezer (that I store in individual portions just for this purpose), along with whatever honey and plant-based milk and I have on hand. I defrost the farro in the microwave, add milk, nuts, and berries until warm, then drizzle with honey. A sprinkling of pumpkin seeds, if I have some, adds flavor and crunch, along with a brain-healthy dose of magnesium and zinc.
Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 25-35 minutes |
Servings |
people
|
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup semi-pearled farro rinsed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk warmed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup toasted hazelnuts skinned and chopped (see note)
- teaspoon raw honey for drizzling (no more than 1 per serving)
- 2 cups berries fresh or frozen and defrosted
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds raw or toasted, salted or unsalted, optional
Ingredients
|
|
- Combine the water and farro in a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat for 25 to 35 minutes, adding the salt in the last 5 minutes of cooking. The farro is done when it is soft and chewy but the grains are still intact.
- Drain, stir in the cinnamon, and spoon into 4 bowls. Top each bowl with the almond milk, berries, toasted hazelnuts, a drizzle of honey, and pumpkin seeds (if using), dividing evenly.
To store: The farro will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Note: To toast hazelnuts, bake at 350º F for 12 to 15 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. Cover with a clean dish towel or paper towel and rub vigorously to remove the skins. Let cool before chopping. You will have more hazelnuts than you need for this recipe. Store the rest in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
2 Comments
Leave your reply.