Roasted Broccoli with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Farro, Feta and Tahini
This dish of roasted broccoli with sun dried tomatoes, Farro, Feta and tahini make for a simple, nourishing dinner, packed with nutty, salty flavour.
Self care. Do you make it a priority? What does it mean to you? Last weekend I was all set to catch up on photographing some new recipes and posting them on here for you, but on Sunday I totally crashed and burned. It turns out that a full time job, a baby, a husband facing a thesis deadline, two transatlantic flights, a training schedule and a social life became too much for me to manage, and my body told me so.
I spent most of the weekend unable to move from the sofa (which I discovered is especially horrible when you have a baby to take care of!), and this experience confirmed what I already know to me true: health is really all about balance. A good diet and exercise regime will only get you so far if you are sleep deprived or not managing your stress well. So, I decided to take the last week to take care of myself a little better, a few bubble baths, yoga in place of HIIT, better food choices, and early nights when I could get them. Iām now back to my usual self, so thanks for letting me take the week off!
It seems fitting that I am sharing this recipe with you today, because for me it embodies those themes of health and balance. Whole grains, fresh seasonal vegetables and a sprinkling of good cheese. This feels like such a restorative meal, and most importantly it can be made in about 20 minutes which is vital if you are feeling pressed for time! I am a huge fan of broccoli, ESPECIALLY when roasted with a little salt. In this dish I have paired the broccoli with juicy sun dried tomatoes, salty feta cheese, and a nutty tahini dressing, all on a base of farro. So beautiful, so nourishing.
Enjoy!
- For Farro/Broccoli mix:
- 1 cup farro
- 1 medium head of broccoli cut into florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes (drained if oil packed)
- ¼ cup feta, crumbled
- For tahini dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp honey
- Juice of half a lemon
- Preheat oven to 400F/200C
- In a large saucepan, bring two cups of water to a boil, add farro and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes until water is absorbed and the farro grains are tender. Set aside
- Meanwhile, roast the brocolli: toss florets with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes when the brocolli is tender, a little crisp, and beginning to chat at the edges
- While the farro is cooking, and the brocolli is roasting, whisk together the ingredients dog the tahini dressing, set aside
- When the brocolli is ready, remove the florets from the oven. Combine brocolli with cooked farro, and stir in the sun dried tomatoes.
- Divide into four portions, and sprinkle feta over each plate
- Finally, drizzle a little tahini sauce over the top of each portion
Notes
Quinoa, rice, barley or other grains can be used in place of farro if you don’t have it to hand!
Sound advice Emma
X
I’m with you, Emma! I’ve also had a little too much on my plate lately and have just wanted to chill the heck out. I keep telling myself that the world isn’t going to end if I miss a blog post – we’re not saving lives here, are we? Good for you for taking a break! Loving the looks of this nourishing broccoli dish. I’ve also got a roasted broccoli dish in the pipelines. Such quick, easy, comforting, and healthy food. Yum!
Thanks Katie, I’m not sure how you keep up with your posting schedule… v. impressive indeed!!
I definitely am guilty of pushing myself too hard sometimes! So glad to hear you listened to your body and took some needed time off! You deserve it! I love all the healthy components to this salad. Totally craving this for lunch now!
I don’t know how you keep up with your posting schedule lady! Am in awe š
Roasted broccoli and tahini sounds like an amazing combination!
Thanks Kristie!
This looks so pretty! I love farro, especially in salads, so this recipe is just perfect for me! The tahini dressing sounds delish too š
Thanks Evi!
Looks yummy… I just bought some sun dried tomatoes..I might have to use them in this! Breaks and baths are good š You are doing great mamma! Hope that little baby is well
First of all, I am in love with this dish! I am a huge fan of every single ingredient and can’t wait to have them all together. Tahini has become my go-to dressing for any sort of Mediterranean dish like this. You’ve managed to come up with something that is so healthy yet comforting. Secondly, I definitely know how you feel about balance. I can’t believe you’ve been able to juggle so much with a newborn! You’re right that sometimes our bodies tell us they’ve had enough. It’s great that you’re listening to that and taking a step back. I hope it’s making you feel restored, Emma! X
I’m a big fan of farro and mixing it with roasted broccoli sounds perfect. And anything with feta makes me happy. I agree about taking a break every once in a while when you’re feeling run down – blogging should be something that you look forward to – not a chore.
Totally! Who needs an extra chore?! Anything with feta makes me happy too, in fact, I think I might be in a cheese rut…