Roasted Carrot and Farro Salad

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Land O'Lakes, Inc. All opinions are my own.

Nothing puts a bounce in my step like the onset of fall. Cool, crisp days replace the oppressive heat, and a sense of renewal fills my body. Cool weather fruits and vegetables bejewel my little part of the Midwest with rich reds, oranges, and gold around every corner. College football, sweaters and sweatshirts, hayrides, the pumpkin patch, corn mazes...I could go on.

Spelt and Vegetable Soup inspired by I Am Love | #FoodnFlix

Our Food 'n Flix pick this month is the 2009 Italian film I Am Love starring Tilda Swinton. I watched this movie when it was first released on dvd and remember not really liking it. That being said, I believe in second chances, so I went in with a clear head when I popped the dvd in again this week. Unfortunately, it still wasn't my cup of tea. But all was not lost, because while I found the movie to be painfully slow, it did feature some beautiful scenery and delicious food to keep me in front of the screen.

The movie starts in Milan in the home of the wealthy Recchi family. Food is being prepped, silver is getting shined, and the scene is being set for a family meal to celebrate the grandfather's birthday. He announces his retirement from running the family business, which he will be entrusting to his son and grandson (because it will take two to take the place of one of him).

Eastman's Oatmeal Burgers inspired by The Walking Dead

Welcome to day 4 of Dead Eats: Recipes Inspired by The Walking Dead hosted by myself, Kim at Cravings of a Lunatic and Dionne at Try Anything Once Culinary. I hope you're having as much fun as I am with these recipes—and that you're as anxious as I am for Sunday to finally be here! If you haven't watched the first half of season 6 yet, here's your fair warning that there will be some spoilers in this post!

Here's the thing. I'm a Walking Dead fan through and through. I love the weeks with intense action and I also love those weeks that some people complain about saying they're "too slow" or "too boring" or "nothing happened". That's character development people! To understand people, it's important to know where they come from. Earlier this season we had one of those episodes; it was extra long and calm, giving us time to catch our breath and calm down after the crying, screaming, fist-shaking episode the week before.

Warm Farro and Quinoa Breakfast Bowls

I was raised on that familiar old adage telling us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The same way that my parents made sure I knew it, I make sure my kids know it. I'm a firm believer that you just can't concentrate on an empty stomach—especially when it's grumbling out loud. I don't think that breakfast always has to be the same thing. One day you may want bacon, eggs, and toast...the next day you may need a waffle more than life itself...and the next you might be in the mood for some yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit.

And since the list of breakfast possibilities is endless, you don't have to get bored. One of my favorite meals on a cooler (or downright freezing) days was a bowl of warm oatmeal. While some may consider oatmeal boring, I tend to disagree. It's a neutral palate just waiting to be dressed up. But if I still can't convince you of that, how about a different kind of warm porridge to start your day? Today I'm partnering with Village Harvest to tell you how to make a nourishing bowl to start your day right! Village Harvest Rice & Grains make it easy to stay on track and keep a healthy lifestyle in the new year and beyond with their natural, unprocessed rice and grains.

Chicken and Farro Whole Grain Empanadas

September is Whole Grains Month, and I am partnering with the Whole Grains Council as one of their selected "Make the Switch" bloggers. Our goal was to take a family favorite recipe and retool it by adding more whole grains. It's a contest for the participating bloggers (we can win cash prizes for the top votes), but if you drop by the Whole Grains Council website and place a vote for your favorite recipe—you'll also be entered for a chance to win cash ($500) and a big selection of whole grain foods!

So, now you're wondering what I did to make the switch to whole grains, right? Well, I started with my family's favorite empanada recipe. The original uses only all-purpose flour, so I substituted half whole wheat pastry flour in this version. It was still flaky and tender and melt-in-your mouth delicious. I actually think it may work well using entirely whole wheat pastry flour. That was my first "switch".

My second switch was in the picadillo filling itself. The original uses pork, but I switched it out for a combination of white meat chicken and farro (one of my 3 favorite whole grains). I decided to use half lean meat and half farro to make the picadillo because I wanted to ease everybody into the switch. I think I could've gone straight-up whole grain (no meat) in this instance, as well. The size and chewiness of the cooked farro really echoed the texture of our usual filling. I actually think that if they didn't already know I'd made the switch, they wouldn't have even guessed there was anything different.

Farro and Cranberry Bean Soup

December and still no snow.  Very, very strange, I say.  Weather patterns have really shifted over the past couple of years.  I can remember Halloweens as a kid when I had to wear my winter coat, hat, gloves, and boots.  Because it was SNOWING!  And since my birthday falls just a few days after Halloween, I used to pray that it wouldn't snow until after that day.  And sometimes it wouldn't.  Sure, sometimes flurries would fly without sticking, but it was a rare year that I didn't have snow on or around my birthday.  Back to present day, it's exactly one month (and a few hours) past my birthday and still no sign of the white stuff.  I think some came down sometime last month, but I can't be sure.  My short term memory just isn't what it used to be.  Just a mere hour north of us at my mom's house, they've had snow on the ground for the better part of a week.  I know I'm inviting danger with just the mere mention of not having any yet.  I'm not complaining...it's just curious.  I don't know why I feel like I need to justify myself by saying that I actually DO like snow.  I just hate driving in it.  Unless, of course, all of the whackos stay off the streets.  I'd be perfectly fine if I only had my car to contend with on the slippery roads and not the psychos in their SUV's who don't seem to realize...or care...that not everybody can stop on a dime if they happen to cut them off.  But I do love being tucked cozily in the house when there's a couple feet of snow inside.  As long as the fridge and pantry are stocked and the whole family is home.  Even playing in the yard or sledding down the street is good, as long as we can come in and warm up with a steaming cuppa hot chocolate...or spiked coffee...and a steaming bowl of hearty soup.  Like a bowl of bean-thickened soup with mouthfuls of chewy farro and crunchy bacon on every spoon.  I will just have to eat while closing my eyes right now...and imagine that there is snow to go with the temperatures in the low 30's.  Oh yes.  I can totally see it now...

Farro and Cranberry Bean Soup

inspired by & adapted from Tessa Kiros's Spelt & Cranberry Bean Soup in From Apples to Jam

yield: 4-6 svgs.

1 c. dried Cranberry Beans, soaked overnight

 4 oz. bacon

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

4 whole, peeled tomatoes

2 sage leaves, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 c. pearled farro, rinsed

6 c. poultry stock (or chicken broth/water)

salt

freshly ground black pepper

to serve:

olive oil

fresh sage

fresh or dried red chiles

Drain beans.  Put in a large pan covered by a couple inches of cold water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a gently simmer until tender, ~1-1½ hours.  Drain most of the water off, then puree with an immersion blender.   Season to taste with salt. Reserve.

Chop the bacon in ¼" strips crosswise, then cook in a medium Dutch oven (or heavy pot) until done.  Scoop out onto a paper towel lined  plate and reserve.  Add onion, celery, and garlic to bacon grease in pot over medium heat until they start to soften and just turn golden in parts.  Squoosh the tomatoes with your hands and add to the pot along with the sage, bay leaf, and farro.  Stir around for a minute or two.  Add in stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until the farro is tender, ~30 minutes.  Taste and season to your liking with salt and pepper.  Stir in bean puree.  Cook another 10 minutes or so.  Taste again and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

To serve, ladle into bowls and drizzle with a bit of olive oil, reserved bacon, and sage and chiles, if using.

I am sharing this post with:
IHCC theme: Bean There, Done That
Soup Hop @ KatherineMartinelli