Greens and Grains Breakfast Bowl

It’s got greens, it’s got grains, it’s super simple and completely packed with flavor! This satisfying breakfast bowl is made with farro and swiss chard. However, it can be made using any combo of your favorite of veggies and grains. It’s topped with an egg and finished with dukkah, a spice and nut blend that takes it to the next level.

Dukkah: The Spice of Life!

Have you heard of dukkah? Trust me when I say you need it in your life! Why? Because it’s so damn delicious! Not to mention you can literally sprinkle it on just about everything, including this greens and grains breakfast bowl, for an instant first class flavor upgrade. It’s easily one of my favorite things to keep in the pantry, and it breathes life into any boring plate of food.

Dukkah is a warm and toasty Egyptian condiment made with nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. It’s earthy flavor is a balance of nuttiness and subtle spices. You can find premade dukkah in some stores (I believe Trader Joe’s sells it), but I promise you it will not have the same memorable nutty and fragrant effect that a freshly homemade version will have. It may sound like a fancy and difficult thing to make, but in reality it’s not as fussy as it seems and it’s super easy to throw together. There are countless variations for dukkah out there in internet land. However, just about everyone of them will contain nuts, sesame seeds, coriander, cumin and salt.

How to Use Dukkah:

• Sprinkle on top of soups, salads, pasta, potatoes or roasted vegetables;
• Serve with crusty bread and a good olive oil for an easy appetizer;
• Liven up your hummus or mix into greek yogurt for a veggie dip;
• Use as a crust for fish, lamb or chicken;
• Bring boring scrambled, sunny-side up, hard-boiled or any version of eggs to life.

Variations & Meal Prep

• Try subbing in different nuts and seeds like pistachios, hazelnuts (most common), walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds.
• If you don’t have whole spices on hand, sub in powdered spices. Important tip: If you use ground spices instead of whole, begin with using one half the amount that’s in the recipe and adjust to your taste to avoid a heavily spiced dukkah.
• Sub in any cooked veggie you like or any grain you like. Farro is one of my go to grains for breakfast. I love it’s nutty flavor and hearty texture. For other grain ideas, the Whole Grains Council is a great place to reference. Check out their A to Z Guide to Cooking with Whole Grains for ideas on how to incorporate more grains into your meals.
• Use up any leftover veggies or leftover grains. (rice, barley, quinoa, oats, etc.).
• When meal planning, make a large batch of veggies and grains to use for this breakfast bowl and for meals throughout the week.
• Don’t care for soft boiled eggs? No prob. You can use any cooked egg you prefer.
• For a run-out-the-door breakfast, store the farro and greens in several individual containers. Call me basic and old-fashioned, but these American made, tried and true Pyrex 2 cup containers are my fav for portioning out meals when meal planning. Just warm up as needed and top with an egg, vinaigrette and dukkah.
• For an easy and fast egg topper, make a batch of hard boiled eggs to keep in the fridge for an easy grab.

How to Soft Boil Eggs

Step 1: Bring a pan of water to a gentle boil. If the boil is too heavy and rapid, it may break the eggs.

Step 2: Using a spoon gently drop eggs into the hot water and maintain a gentle simmer. Avoid an aggressive boil to prevent the shells from cracking. If the eggs start bopping around the pan and knock into each other, decrease the heat to calm the water down a bit.

Step 3: If using cold eggs straight out of the fridge, boil for 5 to 7 minutes. If using room temperature eggs, boil for 4 minutes. These times will leave a set egg white and a jammy yolk. Cook for another minute or two if you like a slightly more set and firm yolk. The more you make soft boiled eggs, the more you’ll know how much time you prefer on your eggs.

Step 4: Remove the eggs from the water, place in a bowl of ice water and let sit for a minute or two. When cool enough to handle, gently peel the shell away from the egg. Peel with care to avoid a punctured egg yolk. Rinse under water to remove any remaining fragments of shell. Pat dry and serve on top of your greens and grains breakfast bowl!

Greens and Grains Breakfast Bowl

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Dana King
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: About 4 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Egyptian

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Description

This simple breakfast bowl is packed with swiss chard and farro and is topped with a soft boiled egg for a balanced and satisfying breakfast.  It’s finished with a sprinkle of dukkah, a spice and nut blend, for next level flavor.   

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Bowl:

2 tsp. EVOO, divided

1 c. uncooked farro

3 c. low sodium vegetable broth

1 large bunch swiss chard or other hearty green, stems removed and chopped, leaves chopped

4 soft boiled eggs

 

Vinaigrette:

3 Tbsp. EVOO

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. maple syrup

1 tsp. dijon mustard

 

Dukkah (makes about 1 cup):

2 tsp. coriander seeds

2 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. fennel seed

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. black peppercorns

1/2 c. pumpkin seeds, toasted

1/4 c. sesame seeds

1/4 tsp. salt

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Instructions

To make the farro, heat 1 tsp. EVOO in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Add the uncooked farro and toast until lightly browned and you smell a nutty fragrance, about 5 minutes.  And veggie broth to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes or until it reaches a texture you desire.   Drain the farro and set aside.

 

While the farro is cooking, heat remaining 1 tsp. EVOO in a skillet over medium high heat.   Add chopped swiss chard stems and cook until lightly browned. Add swiss chard leaves and saute until wilted.  

 

For the dukkah, place all the spices, seeds and salt in a food processor.  Pulse the mixture until the nuts and spices are broken down into little pieces and it resembles a course sand.  To make the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl. 

 

Divide the farro and greens between four bowls for serving.  Add soft boiled egg to each bowl, dress with vinaigrette and serve with dukkah. 

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Notes

The dukkah yields about one cup.  Store in an air tight container for up to two weeks and use to liven up any basic plate of food.

Keywords: Greens, Grains, Eggs, Soft Boiled Eggs, Dukkah, Breakfast Bowl, Swiss Chard, Farro, Simple Meals