We are always on the search for new grains. Whole wheat pasta, cous-cous and brown rice in rotation can quickly become boring. So, when we heard of freaky freekeh from Freekehlicious we couldn’t have been more excited.
Do not fear this grain because of its name. Freekeh (also known as farik or frikeh) is an Arab food that is made of roasted green wheat that is harvested when the grains are still soft and full of moisture. The young green durum wheat is then parched, roasted and dried. The process retains the grains at their peak taste and captures all of the nutritive value. With less than a gram of fat per serving, freekeh is a nearly fat-free food.
The easily digestible wheat has the texture of al dente brown rice or barely, and it is also very fresh tasting with a slight sweetness. It has the essence of nuttiness. The only downside of the tasty dried grain is that it takes awhile to cook. But on the plus side it is very low maintenance. Once you get your water (or broth) boiling you just have to let it simmer and in 40 minutes your wholegrain freekeh will be ready to enjoy. If you don’t have the patience, the cracked freekeh takes about half the time. Freekeh is adaptable to any recipe and holds up well. We opted to make some protein filled, vegetarian meatballs.
More to Freak Out Over
- Oprah raved about this long lost grain a couple of years back and, like most of the world, we trust her.
- Freekeh is BURSTING with fiber and because of this the ancient grain has been credited with being a weight loss aid. It has four times the amount of fiber than brown rice.
- If you are looking for an additional meat-free way to add protein to your diet, freekeh is your jam. Like quinoa it is an excellent source of protein.
- Although freekeh has its own flavor, it is very mild and therefore a versatile grain in the kitchen.
- Anything that is a nutritional powerhouse gets an A+ in our book.
Want to freak out with Freekehlicious too? You’re in luck! The wonderful Freekehlicious team has offered to give one US Bite Size Wellness winner a package of both the wholegrain and cracked freekeh.
You know the drill…just enter below and good luck!
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