Farro Tabbouleh with Feta

Farro is such a wonderful grain to have in your pantry. It is packed with fiber and protein and is quite filling. This Farro Tabbouleh with Feta is a great showcase for the grain. It holds up beautifully with the cucumbers, chickpeas, feta and herbs.

The recipe is a Barefoot Contessa. I do not use as much salt as the recipe calls for. Feta and kalamata olives are typically chockful of salt, so I go easy with it. In all, the recipe calls for 6 tsp. of salt, which in my opinion, is a ton. 

This salad is a perfect side to roasted meats or burgers. It also could be a great vegetarian lunch. The farro is quite filling.

The salad is packed with lots of delicious greens: Herbs, scallions and cucumbers!

Farro Tabbouleh with Feta

Serves 8 to 10 

From "Cook Like a Pro"

By Ina Garten

2 1/2 cups pearled farro (1 pound)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 hothouse cucumbers, unpeeled, halved, seeded and 1/2-inch diced

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

8 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced diagonally

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh parsley (2 bunches)

1 cup julienned fresh mint leaves (2 bunches)

1 cup good olive oil

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)

12 ounces feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)

3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, drained

Rinse and drain the farro and place it in a large saucepan with 4 cups water and 2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine the cucumbers, chickpeas, scallions, parsley and mint in a very large bowl.

In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Add the hot farro to the vegetables and herbs, pour the dressing on top and stir to combine. Carefully stir in the feta, olives, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. 

Fancy Lunch: Smoked Salmon Wraps

Now this is a perfect lunch.

My smoked salmon wraps are just what a girl needs for mid-day grazing by the pool, preferably with a champagne or spritzer in hand. But usually for moi it's just a good ole bottle of H2O.

I gave up lunch meats for Lent this year, and I have been really holding to it well past the 40 days of my vow to give up a lil somethin' somethin. It forces me to get more creative in the kitchen, and it is ridding my life of excess salt which in turn gives me positive energy and fantastic body feelings, so I'm staying with the no lunch meat thang.

If you are a meal prepper, you could totally make a stash of these wraps for the week. Letting them sit in the fridge lets them hold up better.

The smoked salmon works beautifully with the chives and cucumber and arugula. And I love the color!

I used whipped cream cheese for its ideal spreading capabilities. If you are using regular old cream cheese, just make sure you let it sit out to get to room temp.

Smoked Salmon Wrap

Serves 1 fabulous person

1 large tortilla (plain, spinach, whole wheat) (49 grams)

2-3 Tbsp. whipped cream cheese

1 tsp. chopped chives

4 slices (2 oz.) thinly sliced smoked salmon

6-8 thin cucumber slices

1/2 cup baby arugula

On one side of the tortilla, spread whipped cream cheese with a spreader or butter knife. Sprinkle evenly with chives. Place smoked salmon slices atop the cream cheese and chives.

Arrange cucumber slices on top of the smoked salmon, spacing out evenly. Place arugula on top of the cucumber slices.

Roll up into a log. Cut in half. Chill for thirty minutes and enjoy!

Cover

Greek pasta salad

I feel like the summer calls for a go-to pasta salad. So here is one that is inspired by Greek flavs. This is perfect to make for a BBQ or to go as a side with your fam's din. I also eat my Greek Pasta Salad for lunch. 

It really comes together quickly, and I always have all of the ingredients on hand. 

Short pasta works best to match the sizes of your chopped veg. I used pipette, which are so super cute. I love their curves!

You can also make this ahead. It holds up pretty well in the fridge.

Here, I served it with my turkey burgers. For that recipe, please click here.

Greek Pasta Salad

Makes 6 side dish servings

1/2 pound short pasta such as pipette, shells or elbows

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Greek dressing

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 red wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

To serve: Crumbled feta

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water. Cook pasta according to instructions on the pasta box. Drain pasta in a colander and run under cool water for a minute. Set aside to cool.

In a liquid measuring cup, add zest and just of lemon, garlic powder, oregano salt and pepper and red wine. Whisk in olive oil to emulsify. Set aside. 

In a large serving bowl, add red and green peppers, grape tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas and pasta. Pour dressing over the veggies and pasta. Gently mix with a big spoon. Set aside to marinate for an hour. Serve at room temp or chilled with crumbled feta.

The Seven Emotions of Wasting Food

Throwing out uneaten food prompts waves of emotions for The Jersey Girl.

Guilt: Well, with the Italian-Catholic thing I have going on, that's a given. Let's be real, I feel guilty about everything, including that package of mushrooms dying in my refrigerator. But I'm not feeling too bad about my next glass of wine.

Denial: These four quarts of decaying strawberries, 3 gallons of expired milk and disgusting package of Perdue chicken nuggets that I would only feed my kid if hell froze over are not really here. 

Stress: The starving kids in the world, the waste of money. God, how did I let this happen?!?

Buyer's Remorse: I am never ever ever getting suckered into buying this much shredded cheese on sale ever again. Ever. Ever.

Anger: I cooked this slop, and no one ate it. Damn you, people. I'm so moving to Paris and NEVER coming back. See who feeds you ungrateful fools then.

Relief: I mean, honestly. I've been looking at this Tupperware container of uneaten soup for a week now. Good riddance.

Joy: Yay! My refrigerator is all clean and there's open space for my culinary delights.

The End.

Until it happens again next week.

A drama queen I am not, but am I the only gal out there who vows each week to stop wasting food? Between feeding a bottomless pit of a toddler and a very hungry husband, let's just say the Jersey Girl can be a bit overzealous when food shopping. But sometimes all the planning in the world just leads to more food getting ditched. Especially when your kid ate a banana every day last week, but is now currently practicing a banana hunger strike.

That's why a recipe like Greek Panzanella is SUCH a keeper. For one thing it's a Barefoot Contessa number, so you know it's good. And it lets me use up the stale bread cluttering up my cupboard, which is pretty much a given in mia cucina. The veggies are staples in my produce bin: Cucumbers, bell peppers, grape tomatoes. The rest of the ingredients are always on hand except olives because The Husband does not dig olives. Eyeroll.

But the moral of the story is: It's a grand plan to have some recipes that use up the goods you got when you got em so that you're not chucking decaying matter from your refrigerator or pantry while going through the wasting-food-spiral-of-emotions. It's a preventative measure if you will.

The flavors of this dish are a great reminder that spring and summer are just around the corner.

Yay!

Greek Panzanella
From "Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?"
By Ina Garten
Serves 6

3/4 cup good olive oil, divided
6 cups (1-inch) diced rustic bread
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and large-diced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and large-diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
2 tsp. minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 pound good feta cheese, 3/4-inch-diced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan until hot. Add the bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Set aside.

Place the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl and toss together.

For the vinaigrette, place the vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl and whisk together. Whisking constantly, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil to make an emulsion.

Add the feta, olives, and bread to the vegetables in the bowl, add the vinaigrette and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to develop. Season to taste and serve at room temperature.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used red pepper only and she omitted the olives.