Farro-Cauliflower Parmesan

I had to trick my husband into this one. Not a huge fan of the 'parmesan' series of dishes and doubtful of tomato sauce mixed with veggies, he hesitated when I whipped this one up for dinner... but not for long. After some encouragement (and/or threats) he gave it a shot and it immediately became one of his favorites. The roasted cauliflower, the hearty and chewy farro, the cheese that is enough without being overpowering, all work together for an absolutely delicious combination that just hits the spot on a cool or wintry day.

This meal can also come together quite quickly! I note the time below with pre-cut cauliflower since, despite knowing it's somewhat ridiculous to pay extra for it, I do buy pre-cut florets for this meal. Between kids and work, it makes life a lot easier. Just add some time if you're cutting yourself. Also, do spring for fresh cauliflower. While I'm a huge fan of frozen veggies wherever you can use them, this is a time you'd end up with a soggy mess.

Time: 1 hr 10 min (nearly entirely baking time... just about 10 min hands-on!)

Please note: This recipe is adapted from a NY Times recipe.. mostly to make it healthier!

Farro-Cauliflower Parmesan

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs cauliflower florets

1 3/4 c farro (~12 oz) - NOT cooked

24 oz marinara (look for a low salt one... I like Wegmans amore marinara)

5 tsp olive oil

8 garlic cloves, minced

3 oz (~ 3/4 c) grated Parmesan

1.5 tsp sugar

1.5 tsp onion powder

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1.5 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 c whole wheat panko

4 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Get your oven pre-heating to 425 degrees and spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine (I do this directly in the glass dish but then you need to just be careful not to spill... can do a in a bowl first if you prefer) the cauliflower, farro, marinara, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, garlic, Parmesan, sugar, onion powder, balsamic vinegar, oregano, and black pepper. Since this is uncooked farro, add 1 2/3 c water. Stir well and, if you haven't yet, put it in the glass baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 min. Then, uncover it, stir well, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.

While it's baking, combine the remaining 2 tsp olive oil with the panko. Toss well until the panko sticks together in little clumps. When the dish is done baking through the above times, remove it from the oven but keep the oven on. Sprinkle the panko mix evenly across the top. Put the thinly sliced fresh mozzarella across the top. Return to oven for five minutes or until the cheese has melted. Enjoy!