No, this is not some
throwback to the 60s article, like wow, freekehlicious, man!
On the contrary, Freekehlicious is the Norwood based company responsible for bringing the ancient
grain, freekeh, to health and specialty food outlets throughout the US.
Freekeh has long been
recognized as a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.
Freekehlicious is the premier importer of Greenwheat Freekeh, a product of
Australia. Freekeh, in Aramaic, means “to rub,” referring to the technique by
which freekeh is made. Once the freekeh is roasted, the wheat is rubbed to
reveal the grain.
Barbara Fanelli, who was
seeking healthy meal alternatives for her husband who has Type II diabetes,
founded the company in 2010. She first heard of freekeh while watching an
episode of Dr Oz. Her research produced two vastly different sources of freekeh
– one from the middle East and another from an Australian producer. She sampled
both products and found the Australian grain to be cleaner and of a superior
grade. She began to import and distribute Greenwheat Freekeh and Freekehlicious
was born.
The company sent me samples
of their cracked and wholegrain freekeh, along with suggested recipes. But before I even tried the recipes, I loved
the nutritional benefits listed on the product overview:
· High fiber – four times the fiber of brown rice
· High in protein content
· High in calcium for bone health
· Rich in lutein – important for eye health
· Low GI – helps to prevent diabetes
· Low in available carbs
· Rich in prebiotic properties – important for fueling
the growth of healthy bacteria
Sounds almost perfect, right?
So off I went to try the recipes! The cooking process for Freekeh is similar to
quinoa. Cook up a big batch and store it in the refrigerator for use during the
week. Cooked Freekeh can be eaten warm, like oatmeal, or cold with yogurt. I
tried it both ways for breakfast and loved it. You can add your favorite
fruits, nuts, and spices.
Since I had quite a bit left
over, and had company coming for dinner, I made the Freekeh Salad recipe that came with the samples. The recipe called for asparagus, beets, Portobello
mushrooms, walnuts, and goat cheese. I omitted the beets and mushrooms as I
didn’t have any and did not feel like running to the store. Dressed with a
Dijon mustard, walnut oil, white wine vinegar vinaigrette, this was a wonderful
accompaniment to our London broil. It would also work well as a side to chicken
or fish. Printable recipe links below.
Freekeh is 100% natural, free
from all additives, coloring, chemicals, preservatives, pesticides, herbicides,
and GMO.
I really loved the nutty
texture and smoky flavor, not to mention the health benefits. And with all the
eating that I do, I need all the help I can get! If something can be delicious AND healthy, it
sounds like a winner.
Would love to hear from you
if you’ve tried Freekeh, or other healthy grains (leave a comment below).
PO Box 103
Norwood, NJ 07648
201-297-7957
