Farro and Lentils with Braised Greens and Bacon

In my quest to eat more consciously – both for myself and for the environment – I’ve attempted to relegate meat to a mere seasoning in most dishes, rather than a main component. Moving a bit down the food chain is both good for health and exerts less stress on the planet.

That does not, however, mean that food must be tasteless and bland. Just as many people recommend buying more expensive, flavorful cheeses and using them in moderation rather than using copious amounts of the near tasteless cheap stuff, such is the case with meals like this. Most people can agree that bacon is the wunderkind of meats – if it can turn hardcore veggies back to meat, it’s good in my book.

Here I’ve taken farro (or wheat berries, depending on where you live) and French green lentils and topped them with braised mustard and turnip greens, bacon, and mushrooms. It takes some nutritional powerhouses and gussies them up with the luscious fattiness we crave. I’m almost positive that my heart won’t take issue with the bacon fat once it realizes it’s coating super-healthy greens…right?

Even for those who aren’t fans of greens in general (which is a travesty, FYI), this dish is sure to please with the big chunks of bacon and flavorful mushrooms. If you’re not too keen on the toothsome farro (much like my husband is not) just boil it for about 5 minutes before you add the lentils to the pot of salted water.

Farro and Lentils with Braised Greens and Bacon

½ cup farro

½ cup French green lentils (Lentils du Puy)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into chunks

16 oz chopped mustard and turnip greens, chopped into bite size pieces (in your produce section)

8 oz sliced mushrooms

Shaved Parmigiana Reggiano for garnish (optional)

Combine the farro, lentils, and garlic cloves in a pot and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on doneness desired.

Meanwhile, brown the bacon in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat until most of the fat is rendered. Add the greens and cook for a few minutes (you might have to add in batches to get them to fit). Cover the pan and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until done to taste.

Drain the farro and lentils, discarding the garlic cloves. Top with the greens and mushrooms and shave some cheese to garnish if desired.

 

garlic scape spaghetti carbonara

This was the first application for the recently arrived garlic scapes. They added a perfect amount of freshness to the typically heavy dish without deviating from the traditional flavors too much.

I did learn the difficult way that I must remember to not salt the pasta water for carbonara, however. So take that as a lesson learned from my experience - unless of course you feel the need for a salt lick in your life.

Carbonara is great served with a light salad on the side. Or perhaps your entire vegetable drawer to make up for the decadence of pasta, eggs, cheese, and fatty pork.

Nevertheless, it's worth it.

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Baked Potato Soup

I'm pretty sure that anyone who's ever eaten at a steak house has tried baked potato soup at some point. It's creamy, delicious, and encompasses all the flavors of a piping hot baked potato with all the toppings.

This soup is a perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes and makes a nice first course, or paired with a nice salad, a great main. I had some potatoes that were starting to grow eyes and had already planned on making mashed potatoes to go with a pot roast I made the other night - but there were far too many to feed just the two of us. I made the extra and popped them in the fridge overnight.

The next day I combined them with a little chicken stock, bacon, onion, and garlic. Instant dinner - and crowd pleaser. The soup is just as versatile as is a baked potato. Add any toppings you normally would - chili and cheese, broccoli and cheese, green onions and bacon, sour cream, etc.

Also, if you're like me and hate leftovers, it's a great way to use up leftovers without feeling like that's what you're doing. I put chopped scallions, shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and a dollop of fat-free plain yogurt in place of sour cream and - I can assure you - it did not taste like last nights leftovers.

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Fried Green Tomatoes with Spicy Bacon Dip

It's not very often that I get to check out my food while it's still on the vine. Being able to do so was pretty cool. Of course, I imagine there could be better ways to appreciate a sexy tomato still on the vine than deciding to batter it and pan fry it in bacon grease - but why bother?

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Chicken, Bacon and Sweet Corn Soup

There are few things I enjoy more than the sweet, fresh corn available each summer. I did a much more in depth post on how much I enjoyed sweet corn last year at about this time, but sadly it didn't make the transition to the new website.

Last year I tried it off the cob, sauted with butter and tossed with parmigiana reggiano. This year I've decided to implement it into a rustic soup with chicken and bacon.

Because really, what doesn't bacon make better?

I've made attempts to make this as low calorie as possible - all the better to watch our waistlines with - and managed to make each one cup serving slide in at under 150 calories per serving.

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