Apple Farro Breakfast Bowl with Currants and Pecans

by | Oct 1, 2018 | Food, Recipes, Weight Loss

farro breakfast bowl with apples, cinnamon, pecans and currants, honey stick is laying beside the bowl
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Ready to shake up your bowl of oats and open your eyes to this farro breakfast bowl? If there is one commonly eaten whole-grain food for breakfast, it’s oats. Yes, oatmeal is a fiber-rich, whole-grain carb, but it’s not the only grain in the field. 🙂 I was inspired to create this apple farro breakfast bowl out of request to plan an example anti-inflammatory meal plan for U.S News and World Report last week. As the co-author of the Mediterranean Table Cookbook, I know a little something about anti-inflammatory foods. In fact, the Mediterranean Diet is well-known for its ability to reduce inflammatory-related conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

Whole grains are an important staple in an anti-inflammatory diet. They provide key nutrients for optimizing overall health including carbohydrates, fiber (crucial for gut health), iron, and B-vitamins. Thankfully, despite the low-carb craze, people are gravitating back to grains, including exotic ancient grains of the past. Incorporating “trendy” grains like farro and quinoa, and keeping the classics – oats, rice and corn – provides both a variety of nutrients to support an active lifestyle as well as variety to please the palate.
The combination of currants, pecans, and cinnamon in this apple farro breakfast bowl is the perfect seasonal start to a chilly, crisp fall day. Pour some vanilla or plain kefir milk on top, and you’ve got a creamy bowl of comfort.

farro breakfast bowl with apples, cinnamon, pecans and currants, honey stick is laying beside the bowl

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apple farro breakfast bowl with currants and pecans

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  • Author: Jennifer McDaniel
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 1 serving 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 c. farro, uncooked
  • 3/4 c. water
  • 1/8 t. salt
  • 1/2 small apple, cored and chopped into small cubes
  • 1/2 T. canola oil
  • 1 t. ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 c. dried currants (or raisins)
  • 1/8 c. pecans, chopped
  • 1/4 c. kefir milk, plain or vanilla
  • 1 t. honey

Instructions

  1. Combine the farro, water, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until plump, about 20-30. Taste at 20 minutes for desired consistency. Drain any excess water and set aside.
  2. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the apples in the olive oil for about five minutes, or until they soften and become just a bit golden. Add cinnamon and stir to combine. Add the toasted pecans and currants to the skillet and toss together with the apples until they’re slightly coated with the oil and warm.
  3. To serve, scoop the farro into a bowl and top with the apple mixture, yogurt and honey. Serve warm.

Notes

While this recipe yields one serving, we recommend batch cooking grains like farro for easier meal prep. You can use the leftovers for other breakfasts, or as sides for lunches and dinners.

You can also multiply the apple mixture and store in the refrigerator for breakfast leftovers.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bowl
  • Calories: 424
  • Sugar: 27 g
  • Sodium: 304.1 mg
  • Fat: 18.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 63.2 g
  • Fiber: 7 g
  • Protein: 7.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 1.3 mg

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