March Recipes

Warm Herb + Farro Salad

Cook Time: 40 min, Servings: 6

I adore this dish because farro is a delicious grain with a dense, slightly nutty flavour. It adds substance to dishes-- from salads to soups. High in fiber, farro is far better for us than rice or other starchy alternatives we may have grown accustomed to such as white or even most brown rice.

May this recipe provide you the healing you need... in every way.

Farro Fast Facts

• The Italian word farro derives from the Latin word farris (meaning 'wheat', as in farina) + Greek Φηρῶν (Phērōn): the plant deity.
• Farro is the ethnobotanical term for three species of wheat that is hulled but cannot be threshed. Threshing is the technique of separating wheat from it's husk
• Excellent source of fiber, iron, protein + magnesium.
• Lowers risk of developing type 2 diabetes + heart disease
• Boosts digestive health by encouraging friendly bacteria in the gut.
• High in antioxidants compounds, protection against cancers, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis + neurodegenerative diseases
• Combine with legumes for a complete protein

What We Need

The Dressing

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (healing fat, helps prevent heart disease)
• Zest of 1 lemon (vitamin C)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (vitamin C)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (protein, fungicide, cancer + diabetes)
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot (anti-microbial food +anti-inflammatory)
• Grey Sea Salt (most natural kind of salt, rich in electrolytes and minerals)
• Fresh cracked black pepper (liver assisting properties)
• Calabash Cayenne (digestion, hypertension, inflammation + endorphins)

The Salad

• 6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (Vit. A + C, anti-oxidant lycopene)
• Grey Sea Salt to taste (rich in electrolytes + minerals)
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (helps blood pressure)
• 1 1/2 cups farro (excellent source of protein + fiber)
• 1 bag of frozen roasted corn (naturally gluten-free)
• 2 teaspoons diced rosemary (antioxidants + anti-inflammatory )
• 1 tablespoon single source olive oil (heart health)
• 1/2 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives (helps prevent heart disease)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (anti-fungal/bacterial)
• 2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil (increase memory. + brain function)
• 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley (powerful natural diuretic)
• 2 sprigs minced cilantro (full daily value of vitamin A + K)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried (anti-bacterial)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh sage or pinch dried (lowers blood sugar + dries mucous)

This is how we do it!

• Dressing: In a bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon zest + juice, mustard + shallot; season to taste with salt + peppers.
• For the salad, combine the cherry tomatoes with salt + pepper to taste in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Preheat a grill to high. Fill a large saucepan with 1 1/2 quarts water; add 1 tablespoon salt + the vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the farro + gently simmer until al dente, 15 to 20 minutes; drain well. While the farro is warm, immediately mix with about three-quarters of the vinaigrette (set aside the rest to punch up or remoisten the salad later if necessary).
• Stir the corn kernels, tomatoes, olives, pistachios + chives into the farro. Gently toss to combine; add more vinaigrette + season with salt + pepper. Garnish with the basil.

Authentic Falafel

Cook Time: 20 min, Servings: 20

One of my favorite childhood foods, falafel offers protein, and the ability to use garden fresh herbs and delicious savory spices all in one.

Try falafel as a great substitute for morning sausage, a lunch pita/wrap or as a patty finger food.

What We Need

• 4 cups chickpeas dried; or optionally 50/50 chickpeas and fava beans (contain potassium, fiber, and vitamins C and B6 - all of which support heart health)
• 5 oz yellow onion 1 medium (contain antioxidants and compounds that fight inflammation, decrease triglycerides, and reduce cholesterol levels)
• 0.7 oz garlic 3 cloves (rich in selenium and Vitamin C, helps prevent the cold, flu, and heart disease, is a powerful anti-cancer herb, a detoxifier and anti-biotic, lowers blood pressure, a natural remedy for yeast infections)
• 1.6 oz cilantro 1.5 cups (contains vitamins A, C, and K, and the leaves also have folate, potassium, and manganese.)
• 1.6 oz parsley flat-leaf, 1.5 cups (Parsley is a medicinal plant that contains diuretic, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-diabetic, immunomodulating, cytotoxic and kidney-protecting properties.)
• 1 tablespoon falafel spice (I part Coriander, powder, 1/4 part Black pepper, 1/4 part Cinnamon, 1/4 part Red chili powder, 1/2 part Cumin, powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon Grey Sea Salt (most natural kind of salt, rich in electrolytes and minerals)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 4-5 cups sunflower oil (helps lower rates of cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.)

This is how we do it!

• Soaking chickpeas is easy to do, and provides a substantial boost and nutrition over the canned version
• Transfer the dried chickpeas to a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Leave them to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight (up to 24 hours). Then drain and rinse them well.
• In a food processor, roughly chop the onion and garlic.
• Add the chickpeas and pulse into a crumb consistency before adding the cilantro and parsley and pulse a few more times into a homogenous mix. (Be careful not to over-process it into a paste. There should be some texture.)
• Transfer the falafel dough back to the large bowl and combine with the falafel spice and salt, mixing with a spoon.
• When you're ready to cook the falafel, add the baking powder and mix. Cover and chill the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (an hour if you have the time) before frying.
• To form the falafel, you can use a specific falafel scoop or a spoon (and hand-shape them into balls or slightly flattened disks). Be gentle, so they stay fluffy.
• Once you've formed your falafel balls, proceed with the cooking method of your choice.

More Recipes:

• Black Eyed Peas Rainbow Salad
• Creamy Black Eyed Peas + Kale Soup
• Sweet Potato Pie Cornbread