Warm Freekeh Salad with Spinach and Egg

Freekeh is an extremely healthy grain, it's high in fibre with three times as much protein as brown rice and is excellent at promoting good gut health. Freekeh is produced in a unique way. It's a young wheat - harvested when it's still green, then the whole kernels are roasted and effectively burnt before threshing to reveal the green wheat inside the husks. This results in a delicious grain that's slightly chewy with a nutty, smoky and earthy flavour. If you're new to Freekeh, here's is a super healthy simple recipe to try at home.

Ingredients for Freekeh Primavera recipe
Serves 4

2 cups of Fire Grain Freekeh
1/3 Cup of Olive oil 
200-250g fresh spinach or fresh chard
5 garlic cloves - thinly sliced
A pinch of sea salt
Black pepper
Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
Optional: Egg or creme fraiche

1. First cook the Freekeh - simply wash the grains in cold water, soak for 15 minutes (optional) and simmer in twice it's volume of water with a pinch of salt for 20-25 minutes.

2. Wash the spinach - no need to dry. 

3. In a wide saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the garlic.

4. Gently simmer the garlic and add the spinach - with the stalks.

5. Put the lid on the saucepan and steam the spinach in it's own water for a few minutes until it's softened.

6. Add the cooked Freekeh, put the lid back on and cook for a further 5-7 minutes.

7. Stir, taste and season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

8. Serve with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon. You can top with a poached egg or add creme fraiche and a grating of black pepper. Enjoy!