My Seasonal Vegetable Grain Bowl

Ciao everyone! As you know, I am in Italy. Every Tuesday, we have a lovely little outdoor market in our village. I try to go every week and load up on what's seasonal in the veggie department. I try to eat at least one veggie grain bowl per week, sometimes two.One thing I always have in the fridge are my pickled red onions from my book Picture Perfect Parties *(recipe included below). They add a nice tangy flavor to any salad or grain bowl. The grain I used here is Farro. It's grown locally, and I use it in soups and all sorts of dishes. It will also be featured in my upcoming cookbook La Fortezza Cookbook, Rizzoli NY, releases Spring 2022. The cookbook is about the Lunigiana, the region we live in. It's a really delicious grain.These grain bowls, like the one pictured above, are a great way to incorporate seasonal vegetables into your diet. Try this bowl and let me know how you like it in the comments below. No need to stick to the vegetables I used in my bowl. Be creative and try your own versions.

Seasonal Vegetable Grain Bowl

Makes 2 bowls

You will need:

- 1/2 avocado sliced

- 1/4 cup Pickled Onions

- 2 cups Kale, I use Cavalo Nero *I bake this and it adds a lovely crunch to the bowl.

- 2 cups sweet potato peeled

- 2 cups Cauliflower

- 1 cup Arugula

-1 teaspoon Maldon Salt

- 2 tablespoons Balsamico

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 2 hard boiled eggs

- 1 cup Farro

- 1 1/2 cups Water

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees FCut the cauliflower and the peeled sweet potato into bite size pieces, sprinkle with oil and salt, place into the oven for 45 minutes, until fork tender. Cut the Kale into bite size pieces and add to the baking sheet of sweet potatoes and cauliflower 30 minutes into baking time. The Kale will become crisp. Remove and cool. While the vegetables are baking. In a small sauce pan place water and Farro. Let simmer stirring a few times to prevent sticking, cook until all the water is absorbed about 30 minutes, set aside to cool.

To Assemble:In a large bowl, add Farro, then Arugula, kale, sweet potatoes, then cauliflower into quadrants of the bowl. Add avacado slices, then pickled onion, and 1 egg sliced in half, then drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with Maldon salt. To eat toss everything together in the bowl and enjoy!

Pickled Red Onions

You will need:

- 1 large red onion sliced thin

- 1 cup red wine vinegar

- 2 tablespoons salt

- 1 teaspoon celery seed or peppercorns

- 3 tablespoons sugar

- ½ cup water

To prepare:In a sauce pan put all the ingredients, and bring to a boil allow about 1 minute to cook. Turn off heat and let steep until cool. Put into a mason jar and place in the refrigerator for 2 days before using. Can be stored for up to 2 weeks.