Chopped Grilled Vegetable Bowl with Farro and #FreshCoastRetreat

This vegetarian Mediterranean bowl is filled with grilled vegetables and farro, then topped with a garlic yogurt sauce, kalamata olives, feta and hummus.

Recipe inspiration comes in many forms. This recipe’s inspiration came from a mish mosh of veggies in my crisper and a trip to Michigan with a mish mosh of food bloggers.

Similarities in my kitchen and in my life never seem to end.

Thanks to my friends Liz of The Lemon Bowl, Dara of Cookin’ Canuck and Phi of Sweet Phi, the hosts of  the #FreshCoastRetreat, 16 food bloggers reaped the benefits of connecting with one another, and the inspiration for this healthy, vegetarian, one-bowl meal was picqued.

But before I share more about the retreat, let’s talk about the recipe for this one-bowl meal.

I’ve been working hard on keeping up with my weekly meal prep and grilled veggies are a weekly staple. They’re so easy to prepare, cook and have on hand for whatever comes up. Add them to omelets, or a one-man fritatta for breakfast. Pull them from the fridge for my Grilled Vegetable and Herbed Ricotta Sandwiches for lunch.

And this farro bowl feast makes an amazing meatless dinner, but it’s also good to go for pretty much any time of day. Even for breakfast with a sunny side up egg on top. I can see that.

I was inspired to create this one-bowl recipe thanks to some of the sponsors of #FreshCoastRetreat, Bob’s Red Mill, Sabra, Stonyfield and DeLallo. It’s a recipe, but it’s not. Like I said, it’s a bit of a mish-mosh so is totally adaptable to what veggies you have handy and how hungry you are.

Nutty farro thanks to Bob’s Red Mill is one of my favorite grains. It’s filling and super healthy and one of the ancient grains of the Mediterranean.

Hummus is another Mediterranean fave and Sabra makes a great blend. Roasted Red Pepper is my favorite flavor but their new Lemon flavor is my new obsession. Try it as a dip for artichokes, it’s incredible. I used a big dollop for this recipe to add a creamy tang.

The drizzle of creamy, lemony, garlic flavor is thanks to Stonyfield’s Greek Yogurt with a bit of cucumber and fresh herbs. You’ll definitely want to add a bit more or less to your taste.

I can’t take credit for this sauce though. This is the winning recipe from our weekend’s yogurt recipe contest created by Andie Mitchell, from her new cookbook.

Here I thought I had the winner recipe, but it was not to pass. I mean, look at the determination on her face.

But I’m not a sore loser, I just take advantage of greatness and share it.

Finally, feta cheese, kalamata olives from DeLallo Foods, and a smattering of fresh herbs complete the meal.

This recipe makes enough for two bowls. Or, if you’re cooking for one, save the cooked veggies for another creation inspiration. There’s plenty out there.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

4 from 13 votes

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Chopped Grilled Vegetable Bowl with Farro and Fresh Coast Retreat

This vegetarian Mediterranean bowl is filled with grilled vegetables and farro, then topped with a garlic yogurt sauce, kalamata olives, feta and hummus.

Servings 2 bowls

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried farro
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 portobello mushroom
• 1 red bell pepper seeded and quartered
• 8 ounces asparagus
• 1/2 red onion sliced
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 1 yellow squash sliced
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pint plain Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic pressed
• 2 tablespoons minced cucumber
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
• Kosher salt
• Red bell pepper hummus
• 1/4 cup halved kalamata olives
• 1/8 cup feta cheese crumbles

Instructions

1. Rinse the farro in a colander under cold water then place in a saucepan with the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes or until the broth has been absorbed by the farro, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill the vegetables, flipping once, until tender and grill marks appear. Pull from the grill and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, cucumber, lemon juice, fresh mint and dill together. Season with salt to taste.
4. Chop the grilled vegetables into bite size pieces. Split the farro into two bowls and layer with the grilled vegetables, a scoop of hummus in each bowl, half of the kalamata olives and feta cheese. Drizzle with the garlic yogurt sauce and fresh dill or mint. Serve warm or at room temperature.

#FreshCoastRetreat on Lake Michigan

I’m no stranger to smaller, intimate blogging retreats and am proud to be one of the first to host my own with my retreat creating partner, Maria. Smaller retreats provide more time and more connection with my fellow online workmates and experience and learn from brands.

This retreat was held on the shores of Lake Michigan, on Lake Muskegon, about 50 miles outside of Grand Rapids. One central home is essential to an intimate blogging retreat and this location that sleeps 14 !!! (available to rent here) was the perfect home base.

Relaxing. Inspiring. Inspriational. It all came full circle.

Here’s who attended the retreat, from left to right: Gina of SkinnyTaste, Myself, Trevor & Jennifer from Show Me The Yummy, Liz of The Lemon Bowl, Lee from Fit Foodie Finds, Alejandra from Always Order Dessert, Lynn from Order in the Kitchen, Amy of Amy’s Healthy Baking, Phi from Sweet Phi, Alexis of Hummusapien, Andie Mitchell, Dara of Cookin’ Canuck and Denise & Lenny of Chez Us.

Spending time with professional bloggers 24 hours a day may sound a bit overwhelming, but it also creates unexpected opportunities to learn and share with others who may be facing similar business challenges.

And, of course, more opportunities to snack, nosh and relish in lots of delicious food.

Thank you to #FreshCoastRetreat for the terrific weekend to unwind, reset and recharge. And a big thanks to all of the sponsors for making it all possible: Experience Grand Rapids, Bob’s Red Mill, Sabra, Stonyfield, Lindt Chocolate, The Little Potato Company, DeLallo Foods, and Stonefire Authentic Flatbreads.

As always, thank you for reading and for supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.  

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