Quinoa and Farro

I cook quinoa on the stove because it cooks so fast. Sometimes I make enough for 2 meals. I usually have it for breakfast as a change from my usual oatmeal. I put some fruit and/or yogurt into it and it makes a nice creamy breakfast cereal. Sometimes I use it in place of rice in rice pudding. As some other moms have said, it is great for putting a sause over like a thai peanut sause. I have never used farro.

I've never made the quinoa in a slow cooker, but I do make chicken with cream of mushroom soup in the crockpot and then put it over the quinoa. I use the quinoa as a substitute for almost every recipe that requires rice. I've never used farro, though.

Try these websites. I've found several for quinoa. Haven't used farro yet myself.

www.eatingwell.com
www.vegetariantimes.com
www.foodnetwork.com

I like to try new foods and these websites offer many great recipes. For example, when we started eating kale, I had no idea how to use it. Went to eatingwell and put kale in the search box. Yummy recipes. BTW, be sure to try the Quinoa and Spinach Salad recipe. It is a meal in itself.

Good luck and have fun. D.

Quinoa Pilaf:
1 small onion
1 carrot
1 stalk of celery
all of the above finely chopped
1/4 cup of dried fruit (I like apricots or cherries, but I use whatever I have on hand) roughly chopped
Saute all of the above in some olive oil until the onion is translucent
Add two cups of water or broth and 1 cup of quinoa, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes (use less water and shorter time if you like it al dente). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I also substitute quinoa in recipes that call for couscous.