Eating a low-carb diet doesn’t mean you have to give up on carbs entirely as long as you focus on whole, heart-healthy, unprocessed grains, like farro. Very similar to barley, farro is a dense, chewy grain that has a thick outer husk and deep nutty, rich flavor.

This recipe was the first time I cooked with farro, and I immediately loved it. I was happy with my decision to pair it with the fresh herbs and the fresh lemon juice which brightened up the flavor and made a great side dish.

Ingredients:

6 cups water
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups unprepared farro
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Juice from one-half of a lemon
Zest of one lemon

Directions:

1) Combine the water and 1 tablespoon of the salt in a deep pan, and bring the water to a boil.

2) Reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the farro. Cook uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, occasionally stirring until the farro is chewy but not firm. Strain any remaining liquid from the farro and transfer it to a bowl.

3) Using the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering and add the onion and the garlic. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until the garlic is slightly toasted and the onion is soft.

4) Add the wine to de-glaze the pan and scrape any browned bits into the liquid.

5) Return the farro to the pan along with the remaining olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

6) Stir in the fresh herbs, lemon juice, and zest. Serve hot.