Toasted Grain and Fig Bowl

Toasted Grain and Fig Bowl

This might be the first grain bowl I’ve ever done on the blog, which is crazy town crazy, cause I love grain bowls so much! Welcome Toasted Grain and Fig Bowl! In this recipe I’ve decided to use barley. Barley is one of the oldest consumed grains in the world and has a high fiber content, which keeps you regular and eliminates toxins. When compared to some other grains, barley is lower in fat and calories and has a delicious nutty taste! Keep in mind that barley is NOT gluten free, so depending on any food allergies you might have, you may not be able to eat it. Don’t worry though, you can always replace the barley in this recipe with any other grain of your liking! You can prepare a big batch of whatever grain you are using ahead of time and eat on them all week long.

A grain bowl is basically a bowl of grains with lots of great toppings and sauces, so you can change it up according to what you like. Today we are focusing on figs in our grain bowl from Valley Figs. I bet you’ve never really thought about figs much when it comes to cooking, but they make for a healthy ingredient and go well in so many dishes! As a matter of fact, 2018 has been named the year of the Fig! I think we need to celebrate with this dish! Valley Figs are sourced from sunny California and provide your body with fiber, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and potassium! Figs are powerful little fruits! The next time you bite into a fig, think about all the warm California sunshine it soaked up before it got onto your plate!

In addition to figs, we are using lots of delicious vegetables in this grain bowl and using two big handfuls of greens as a base to lay the grains on. You know how I like to get fancy with my food sometimes, so I’m also showing you how to make Parmesan crisps and a cashew crema to top our dish! I know that might sound intimidating to you but trust me, they are very easy to make and will take your grain bowl to another level! There are a few steps to this recipe but they are all easy and quick, so before you know it you’ll be munching away at this delicious meal!

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Toasted Grain and Fig Bowl

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

You can eat your grains hot or cold in this recipe, whichever you prefer. I know this will become a staple in your home because it’s so fast when you make the grains ahead of time and it’s so customizable. If you were feeling really ambitious, you could make a “toppings bar” of sorts for everyone in your family to choose from and they could all create their own grain bowl! As usual, I always recommend using organic ingredients as much as possible.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Servings: 1

Ingredients

Toasted barley ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp butter
• 1 cup barley
• 2 cups water or stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp garlic salt

Parmesan crisps:

• 1/2 cup Fresh parmesan cheese

Cashew Crema ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cashews soaded overnight and drained
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 pinches of salt

Grain bowl ingredients:

• 1 carrot grated
• 1 apple sliced into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 cup dried figs cut into bite sized pieces.
• 2 big handfuls of spring greens
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Instructions

Toasted barley instructions:

1. Put a small amount of butter in a pot and toast your barley for 2-3 minutes or until aromatic and smells toasted.
2. Add water or stock and cook for 30-40 minutes.
3. Add a little more butter, salt and pepper, and garlic salt.
4. Can keep in fridge for up to one week.

Parmesan crisps instructions:

1. Grate parmesan cheese onto parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread into a circle about 3 inches wide.
2. Cook at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
3. Pull out of the oven and allow to cool.

Cashew Crema instructions:

1. Blend all your ingredients in a blender then add into a squeeze bottle.
2. Place in the refrigerator and crema will thicken over time.

Grain bowl instructions:

1. Place spring greens into a bowl.
2. Arrange carrots, apples, and figs in small piles on top of the greens, leaving space for the barley.
3. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of barley on top of the greens.
4. Garnish with parmesean crips and sunflower seeds then drizzle cashew crema over the entire grain bowl.

Written By Marci West – Recipe By Leslie Nance