Farro and Poached Egg Breakfast Bowl

"Quinoa's Cousin"

Hi all! I've been a fan of farro for a while but I've never tried cooking it in my own kitchen until this month. Farro is a grain that is often compared to quinoa because it has the same protein content: 7g per serving. I love both grains, but farro contains a tad more calcium and fiber than quinoa and tastes a bit tougher and brown rice-like, so I totally urge you all to try it! I've bought it as a cold salad before, and when I had it, I think it was mixed with dried cranberries, nuts, veggies, and a vinaigrette (YUM)! But I wanted to try make hot farro and top it with veggies and eggs to create a mouthwatering breakfast bowl. I see breakfast bowls all over Pinterest lately. It seems like people are getting bored of eggs and toast, and this is an awesome way to switch up one's morning meal routine. It's SO easy, too...especially if you cook the farro ahead of time and store it in your fridge! One more pointer--my boyfriend, John, taught me to use a frying pan to poach eggs rather than a pot and it really keeps the egg more "together"!

Farro and Poached Egg Breakfast Bowl

-2 eggs

-1.5 cups farro (I say this amount because it will conveniently last you about a week in your fridge)

-frozen or fresh veggies of your choice 

-1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

-EVOO, salt, and pepper to taste

1. Rinse farro and place in a medium-sized pot. Add 4 cups of water and carefully bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat all the way down to a simmer, cover, and cook for another 25 minutes or until the farro is slightly tough (tip: think al dente pasta). If there is still extra water in the pot at the end, pour out or strain.

2. Fill a frying pan with water and add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (this helps keep the egg cohesive, too). Bring to a boil and crack both eggs into the water. Cook for about 5 minutes and try to keep the eggs as "together" as possible with a large wooden spoon. 

3. Cook veggies according to package if frozen, or slice and bake them in the oven for 20-25 minutes with some extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper at 375F if fresh (flip veggies halfway through). I used spinach in this picture but I've also cubed and baked a sweet potato for this recipe and it was delish!

4. Place farro in a bowl and top with veggies, eggs, some EVOO, salt, and pepper and VOILA! You have yourself a yummy, healthy, breakfast bowl!

Happy eating! :)