What is Freekeh?
Freekeh is an ancient grain that is used in any of the same dishes that you would use other grains such as rice or quinoa. It is made from young green wheat that has been toasted and cracked. It is a whole wheat that is high in fiber, protein and other essential nutrients. (source)
I recently got the chance to try it out. Freekeh Foods sent me two packages ‘original’ flavor and ‘rosemary and sage’. First thing is that I liked the name, it’s fun to say and makes me feel like I am eating something exotic, haha.
I wanted to give it a good review so I made it all week. My husband was in heaven because he is usually anti-carbs but since I convinced him that it is even better than quinoa he was okay with eating it a few times this week!
Rosemary & Sage Freekeh and Honey Garlic Grilled Chicken
Freekeh
– 1 cup of Rosemary & Sage Freekeh
-2 1/2 cups of water or broth
– Boil for about 20-25 minutes until soft and full, serve warm
Honey Garlic Grilled Chicken
– Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
– Heat up grill
– Put chicken on grill and brush with homemade honey garlic sauce (I used this recipe here)
– Cook thoroughly
I loved that the Freekeh was already seasoned so it was super easy to prepare and tasted great! It tastes alot like quinoa but has a bit more of an ‘earthy’ flavor.
Original Freekeh with Turkey Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
1 cup Freekeh prepared the same as above
Turkey Meatballs
– 1 package of ground turkey
– 1 egg -1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
– 1 tsp Italian seasoning
– Salt to taste
Super easy, mix everything together, shape into balls, cook in frying pan rotating occasionally until they are about half cooked. Pour 1 jar of marinara sauce over meatballs (I just Trader Joes Organic) and let simmer until sauce is hot and meatballs are cooked through.
This recipe turned out okay. My husband liked it but personally I prefer my meatballs with spaghetti squash or quinoa pasta. The taste was fine, went well with the taste of the tomato sauce, so I have no real complaints!
Freekeh Oatmeal
This was by far my favorite way to eat Freekeh! I used the leftover original flavor from the night before. Put in a mug with a tbsp of walnuts and a tbsp of slivered almonds, drizzled with maple syrup and a splash of coconut milk and warmed up for 30 seconds. It was so delicious, awesome high protein superfood breakfast!
So is is true? Its BETTER for you than Quinoa?
If you look at the nutritional information then yes, it has a bit more protein than quinoa and is higher in fiber. But both are really great options if you are looking for a substitute for rice.
Serving Size 1 1/4 cup
Calories 130 cal
Protein 8 g
Carbs 26 g
Fiber 4 g
Fat 1 g
(source)
Freekeh is cracked green wheat, so it is NOT gluten free. For most people it doesn’t matter but for people who follow a gluten free diet you are out of luck.
Freekeh Foods can be bought online for $2.40/pack (which is about 4 servings) or at a health store (like Whole Foods) near you.
Give it a try! Let me know what you think in the comments below!
