Freekeh review & Winner announced

"Disclaimer: I received Freekeh to review as part of being a SweatPink Ambassador with Fit Approach and Freekeh Foods. Learn more about becoming a SweatPink Ambassador at FitApproach.com.

When I received my Freekeh samples, I could not wait to try them. They sent me both Tamari flavor and Original. They also have a Rosemary Sage flavor. I love brown rice and other healthy grains, so I was excited to try something new.  I was surprised how easily it cooked up, and could already imagine tons of ways to use it.  On my first try, I used the tamari flavor and made a veggie stir fry with tofu.  It was awesome!  Read my recipe here.

So what is it exactly? Freekeh is an ancient roasted grain that is a great nutritional improvement to rice or other grains. It has a nutty, chewy texture. It comes organically in 3 varieties: Original, Rosemary Sage and Tamari. Freekeh has up to 3 times the amount of fiber and protein as brown rice!  Freekeh is also naturally low in sodium and vegan! It is NOT gluten free.  Use it how ever you would use brown rice or quinoa. It can be the star attraction, side dish, or part of a salad.

A little history - 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. The villagers rubbed off the chaff, cooked it up and "Eureka!" Freekeh was created.

On my second time using Freekeh – this time the original flavor - , I made a greek freekeh side dish with feta, red onions, cucumber, Kalamata olives and greek dressing.  Then finally I used the leftover plain freekeh for another side dish – with black beans, corn, zucchini, avocado and a chipotle ranch dressing.

Both my 9 year old and my husband are sold on this as an alternative to brown rice or quinoa.  I will continue to incorporate this into my menu rotation.  Look for it at your local Whole Foods or health food store.

Winner!

Congratulations to Meredith (@semibalancedmom) who won my Freekeh giveaway! 

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