Let’s get our freekeh on!

I know, you’re probably thinking, “excuse me?!”

Let me explain. As a Sweat Pink Ambassador with Fit Approach, I recently had the opportunity to sample a new-to-me grain, freekeh.

So—what exactly is freekeh? According to the Freekeh Foods website,

Freekeh is a process which means “to rub” in Arabic. Freekeh was created by accident nearly 2,000 years ago when a Middle Eastern village was attacked and their crop of young green wheat was set ablaze. Most folks would sulk over their misfortune, but the crafty villagers rubbed off the chaff, cooked it up and “Eureka!” Freekeh was created.

Freekeh Foods sent me 2 samples—original (unseasoned) and rosemary-sage.

Aiming to get a feel for the grain, I opted to try the rosemary-sage first. We cooked it according to the package’s directions (adding a bit more water toward the end), and served it alongside pork tenderloin and green beans.

Mark and I both found the freekeh heavy on the rosemary, but a little bland otherwise (we added extra salt, as suggested on the package). We both loved the texture, though. The cooked freekeh reminds me of farro (a favorite of mine), and I think it would hold up wonderfully in a soup or stew.

With the unseasoned freekeh, I wanted to get creative and stuff some bell peppers. These turned out fantastic. We normally make orzo-stuffed peppers, but I liked how the freekeh added more texture and heft to the peppers.

Freekeh Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 bell peppers*
• 1 lb ground turkey**
• 1 cup original freekeh
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• ½ onion, chopped
• salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning to taste
• grated cheese, for topping

Directions

1. Wash and dry bell peppers; chop off the tops (reserving and chopping the pepper flesh) and carefully remove the seeds/membrane from the peppers. Stand upright in a baking dish and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, cook your freekeh according to directions on the package.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet; add your chopped onion, pepper, and tomatoes, and sautee until tender.
4. Add your ground turkey to the mixture, cooking until browned.
5. Once your freekeh is fully cooked (and water has evaporated), add it to the turkey/vegetable mixture.
6. Scoop a portion of the mixture into each pepper. Top with a sprinkling of grated cheese.
7. Add a bit of water (or stock) to the baking dish (an inch or so is plenty); in a 375° Fahrenheit oven, bake for around 20 minutes until pepper is tender (but not falling apart) and cheese is melted.
8. Allow to cool for a few moments, then serve.

*We used only 4 peppers and had a lot of leftover stuffing.. I’d recommend using 6 peppers—you can always freeze them to eat later.

**You could easily make these vegetarian by nixing the turkey and adding a can of beans, more chopped vegetables, etc. We just happened to have ground turkey that needed to be used.

We shared the peppers with my in-laws—and they approved. Baby M even ate some of the mixture. His palette is far more sophisticated than mine was at ~11 months!

Some other facts about freekeh:

• has up to 3 times the protein of brown rice
• is equal to quinoa in terms of protein and fiber
• is low glycemic (and thus a good alternative for those with Type II Diabetes)
• is low in sodium

I still have some leftover original freekeh, and I think I want to try it in a sweet breakfast recipe. Seems like it would be similar to steel cut oats! For more ideas, visit Freekeh Foods’ recipe page.

Now it’s time for the giveaway!

Complete as many of the following options as you wish to be entered to win your own bag of freekeh. Please leave a separate comment below for each entry. *US residents only*

1. Tell me which flavor of freekeh you’d most like to try (original, tamari, or rosemary-sage).
2. Follow @freekehfoods and @foodiecology_ on Twitter.
3. Follow @freekehfoods and @cdmiele on Instagram.
4. Follow Freekeh Foods and foodiecology on Facebook
5. Tweet about the giveaway using the hashtags #LoveFreekeh and #Freekeh

Giveaway is open until next Monday, September 7. I will announce a winner Tuesday morning, September 8.

** I received 2 freekeh packages from Freekeh Foods free of charge in exchange for a review. I was not compensated for this blog post, and all opinions are my own.**