Slow Cooker Savory Farro, Chicken + Veggie Bowl

Ancient farro is the perfect whole grain to keep you full and satisfied! (That’s Dr. Katie’s Mom Marleen!)

Ancient Whole Grains

Farro is an ancient whole grain that's very similar to barley or rice, but so much more delicious due to it's hearty, chewy texture. Its golden-brown in color, and its flavor is nutty, so it adds a satisfying depth of flavor to dishes like soups, salads, or even a hot breakfast alternative to oatmeal. And, to boot, it has a little protein and fiber too.

Ancient grains have been around for ages, and we can trace farro back to the fertile crescent of the Middle East. In modern day, farro is more commonly grown in Tuscany and nearby Umbria (where my heart longs to be again after an amazing yoga retreat last year!)

Fiber = low sugar load = low insulin secretion

Whole grains like farro, barley, quinoa, brown rice, steel cut oats, amaranth and millet are slow burning carbohydrates, so they don't skyrocket your blood sugar. This is due to the power of fiber!

Keeping your blood sugar relatively even is the key to managing your insulin secretion. The more your blood sugar goes up, the more insulin you secrete from the pancreas to counterbalance. Insulin is your fat-storage hormone. Calorie for calorie, if we look at the biochemistry of food, you'll be much better served having 1/2 cup of farro instead of 1/2 cup of pasta because of the lower glycemic load of farro. 

Gluten vs. wheat

For those of you with a true gluten allergy (called Celiac Disease), you should know that farro has gluten protein in it. Many people think they are gluten sensitive, when, in fact, they are wheat sensitive. It's important to know the difference between the two.

Gluten is a protein common across not only wheat products like crackers, bread, and pasta but also found in rye, farro, and barley.

Wheat is the carbohydrate portion of the plant, and many of us have trouble tolerating it due to a change over time in our microbiome (probiotic) mix in the gut.

Interestingly, unless you have Celiac Disease or diagnosed Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, you'll probably do fine with a bit of farro. After all, a serving size for whole grains is just 1/2 cup cooked.

Serves about 4-6 people

 Ingredients

4 stalks of organic celery, diced

1 onion, diced

3 lbs organic chicken (breast preferred)

1 -2 c of shiitake mushrooms, sliced or whole (oyster and maitake are great additions too!)

1 c of organic carrots, whole

2 c of organic green beans

1 c dried farro

1 tsp of rosemary

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sprinkle salt, pepper & garlic powder (mince real garlic for added flavor)

* If you don’t have fresh vegetables, feel free to use frozen in approximately equal quantities

Preparing the Slow cooker

1. Turn the slow cooker on low. Make a bed of veggies at the bottom of the slow cooker, but reserve your green beans. Remove skin from chicken breast and place on the bed of veggies. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle spices on top.

2. Leave slow cooker on for 4 hours. For the last hour, add the green beans on top to steam for that al dente crunch.

3. Cook faro on the stove top or in a rice cooker using approximately 2.5 cups water for 1 cup grain. Stir cooked farro into slow cooker, which will help thicken the juices and create a natural gravy.

4. Your savory bowl is ready to be served! Enjoy!