Farro with Swiss Chard

Ingredients

1 cup of farro

1 bunch of swiss chard

1 cup of cremini  mushroom

1/4 dried porchini mushrooms

(rehydrated in some water)

1 chopped spanish onion

2 cloves of garlic chopped

Chiken stock

Olive oil

Fry onions until translucent in olive oil, add garlic and cook for one more minute.  Add farro and let it toast for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and rehydrated porchini and cook 5 minutes. Add Chopped swiss chard and some chicken stock. Cook the farro like a risotto adding chicken stock and stirring until the grains are soft but not mushy. 

Benefits of farro

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-goodness-of-farro-a34822

Red Quinoa, Feta and cucumber salad.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of quinoa

1 lemon

1/4 cup of French Feta cheese

1 persian cucumber

2 green onions sliced

1 tsp of chopped cilantro or 2 tbsp of chopped parley (optional)

Olive oil

Rinse Quinoa very well and drain. In a pot add the 1/2 cup of Quinoa and a bit less than 3/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook covered for 15 min in medium heat.  Take of the heat, let stand 5 minutes, and fluff. Let it cool and then add persian cucumber cut in small cubes, herbs, green onion, and feta cheese. Season with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. 

Benefits of Quinoa

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice

Lebanese Tabouleh

Ingredients

1/2 cup of bulgur wheat

1 cup of cherry tomatoes

1 cup of diced persian cucumbers

3 tbsp of chopped mint

5  green onions sliced

1 Large Bunch of Parsley 

Olive oil

1 or 2 lemons

Red pepper flakes

Place bulgur wheat in a container and pull boiling water over it just to cover it, no too much. Cover the container with a tight lid and let to bulgur rehydrate. This has to be done in advance so the bulgur can dry up (overnight is best). 

Take the stems of the parsley and select the leafs, wash, dry in a salad spinner, and chop finely.

Cut tomatoes in half and dice cucumber in cubes. In a bowl mix with sliced green onions, mint and add bulgur. Season generously with olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon, or 2 if  the lemons are small. Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste. 

Bulgur and cholesterol

http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/40730.aspx