Clearly, I have to get out of this rut.
I suppose the way to go forward is to look for variety, to spice up the same-old, same-old.
Farro has come to the rescue.
It is an ancient grain that fed Roman armies, was entombed with Egyptian kings and is said to be rich in fibre and B vitamins. All this is very nice but what's important to me is that it must taste good and this grain delivers.
Farro has a nutty flavour that is easy to like and, if you cook it in stock or with aromatics, very little else needs to be done to jazz it up.
Then there is the satisfyingly chewy texture, which is not to be sniffed at. The act of chewing makes me feel full, so I need a lot less farro than I might quinoa.
So once I decide I want to experiment with the grain, I go online to look for it. If you are doing the same, look for semi-pearled or semi- perlato farro, which has some of the bran removed so it cooks more quickly. If using whole farro, which I have not been able to find, the grain has to be soaked overnight before cooking.
Of course, right after I place my order, I find farro in Cold Storage at Great World City, from Bob's Red Mill. I have used it in this week's recipe.
Generally, the ratio is one part farro to 2 ½ or three parts liquid. I like cooking the farro with chicken stock. If using homemade stock with no salt, then replace the water called for in the recipe with it.
However, commercial chicken stock is startlingly salty, even some reduced-sodium versions. So if using that, I would use both stock and water.
Like rice, farro needs a rinsing before cooking. Rub the grains between your hands as you would rice. The cooking time is about 30 minutes, but start checking at 25 minutes.
The grains should be chewy, but they must not be hard in the middle. Once it is done, drain away whatever liquid is left in the pot and it is time to turn the cooked grain into a meal.
I have gone with mushrooms, spinach and parmesan cheese because the combination is unbeat- able. Thickly sliced mushrooms, sauteed quickly, have a texture like meat. The spinach I don't even bother to cook. I just toss the leaves with hot farro and let them wilt.
Needless to say, the more cheese, the better. But I leave it to you to decide how much you want to use.
There are many other ways to dress up the grain.
Stir some softened butter into hot farro and serve with grilled asparagus and chicken or fish.
It can even be eaten cold as a salad. Mix cooled-down farro with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados and purple onion, together with some olive oil and lemon juice. For some protein, canned tuna works well.
Roasted vegetables such as peppers, corn, eggplant and zucchini are also good additions.
I now have another grain to add to my repertoire, but am sure I will get tired of it in a few months.
There is a buzz around buckwheat that is worth checking out and, of course, I can always turn to millet and teff too.
But how, pray tell, can I make exercise more palatable?