Farro Oatmeal with Bananas and Peaches
I am a HUGE fan of oatmeal. Once the weather gets a bit cooler then my oatmeal game is on! It’s an easy one-pot breakfast and it keeps you full all day long. I can’t say enough positive things about oatmeal.
However, I will admit that oatmeal can get a little boring. Yes, you can change up the fix-ins, add peanut butter, cocoa powder, coconut milk, almond milk, etc. But yet it’s still oatmeal.
Which is even more reason to try making farroatmeal or farro oatmeal. Farro is an “ancient grain” with origins in Italy, Rome to be exact. It is nutty, chewy and extremely nutritious being high in iron, protein and fiber. In my opinion, a wonderful alternative to oatmeal or cream of wheat. It’s also great to have for dinner in place of rice or pasta.
The cooking method is the same as if you were making oatmeal. I combine milk and water with a pinch of salt and vanilla extract and bring it to a boil. Then I add the farro and allow it to simmer until cooked through but still chewy.
The milk adds creaminess and the vanilla extract makes it taste like rice pudding. Farro does not have as much “starch” as oatmeal so it won’t be as creamy but equally delightful.
You could definitely add milk, nut butter or yogurt for extra creaminess so it resembles more of an oatmeal-like consistency. However, I really like the texture of the farro and the milk makes it a little richer and breakfast-y.
This recipe brings up a good point when you are trying to be healthier or lose weight. Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. However, it can also get monotonous at breakfast time. So this recipe is a great way to mix things up and give your morning more variety.
There are truly endless possible for what to add in your farro oatmeal but I will give you a few ideas to start:
Fruit (fresh or dried)
apples
bananas
pears
strawberries
raspberries
blueberries
dried cranberries
dried cherries
dried currants
dried raisins
Nuts/Seeds
almonds
cashews
walnuts
chia seeds
sunflower seeds
pumpkin seeds
Extras
honey
maple syrup
cocoa powder
nut butters
coconut
jam
hemp seeds
Okay! You get the point.
**A few tips to make your farro and mornings go a little quicker. Soak the farro overnight. This will soften the farro and will shorten the cooking time. Also, you can cook up a big batch of farro and re-heat it in a small saucepan with water or milk until warm. So don’t feel like you need to spend 40 minutes every morning cooking up farro. You can cook some on Sunday night and then have it ready all week to make your mornings even quicker (and more filling).I hope this will inspire you to mix up your routine and give farro a chance.
Prep Time
24 hr.
Cook Time
30 min.
Total Time
24 hr. 30 min.
Ingredients
1 cup farro
1 cup skim milk
2 cups water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Cooking instructions
Bring skim milk and water up to a boil.
Add vanilla extract and salt.
Then add farro and stir until combined.
Bring mixture up to a boil and then reduce down to a simmer.
Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes (if farro was soaked the night before, if not it will take 40-45 minutes)
Once the farro is cooked and the cooking liquid is almost evaporated you can flavor the farro any way you please. I like to sweeten it with agave nectar or brown sugar. Maple syrup, white sugar or stevia would also work well.
