Before I came to Michigan, I lived in California, and prior to that, I lived in Israel, so I'm accustomed to spending fall in warmer climates. Although I love watching the leaves change and drinking chai lattes, I miss some of the Mediterranean flavors present in these warmer places (my favorites being pomegranates and chickpeas). This farro based grain bowl combines those flavors and more to give you a warm and comforting fall meal (Mediterranean style).

This recipe is written in 8 steps, but multitasking makes it much faster. The whole meal can be put together in the time the chickpeas are in the oven, so, as Rachael Ray would say, you can have a "30 minute meal."

Mediterranean Fall Grain Bowl

  • Prep Time:10 mins
  • Cook Time:30 mins
  • Total Time:40 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Medium

    Ingredients

  • 1 cup farro seeds
  • 1 pomegranate
  • 1 cup chickpeas
  • 1/2 cup arugula
  • 1/4 block feta
  • 3 leaves fresh mint
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Zaatar or oregano
vegetable, pepper, salad, cheese, dairy product
Maya Konstantino
  • Step 1

    Rinse and drain chickpeas.

    legume, pea, cereal, vegetable, chickpeas, garbanzo, corn
    Kaitlyn Eisenshtadt
  • Step 2

    Coat chickpeas in olive oil, salt, pepper, and zaatar (if you don't have any you can use oregano), and put them on a tray, making sure they're well separated, so they get super crispy. Cook for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

    sweet, chocolate, cereal, nut, candy
    Kaitlyn Eisenshtadt
  • Step 3

    Cook farro seeds according to package instructions, and while they're cooking, mix a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and some roughly chopped mint in a small bowl, combining cooked farro and oil/juice mixture once complete.

    vegetable, herb, oil
    Kaitlyn Eisenshtadt
  • Step 4

    Cut off top of pomegranate to seed the fruit.

    chocolate
    Kaitlyn Eisenshtadt
  • Step 5

    Cut along the white lines to break it apart.

    sweet, juice, berry, strawberry
    Kaitlyn Eisenshtadt
  • Step 6

    Pull apart pomegranate and take out the seeds — like magic.

    sweet, pomegranate, berry, chocolate, strawberry
    Kaitlyn Eisenshtadt
  • Step 7

    Cut off a block of the feta, put it on a tray with some olive oil, and bake it off for 10 minutes.

    #SpoonTip: If you want to add some more flavor, you can top the feta with some garlic or capers before baking.

    milk, dairy product, cheese
    Kaitlyn Eisenshtadt
  • Step 8

    Assemble all of the ingredients (the farro, the chickpeas, the pomegranate, the feta, and some arugula) and construct your perfect bowl.

    tofu, cereal, vegetable
    Kaitlyn Eisenshtadt

This grain bowl is healthy, filling, and adds some color to your dinner. The best part is that it's super easy to swap a couple of the ingredients and create a whole different flavor base. Try swapping the zaatar for red chili flakes or using quinoa or orzo for a totally new dinner.