Spring Grain Bowl with Charred Sugar Snap Peas and Black Sesame Dressing

I developed this recipe in collaboration with Mann’s. I received compensation in both peas and money to do with post, but as always, my opinions are my own. It was my pleasure to work with Mann’s, since their products are always in our house anyhow and they really are fabulous. Mann’s is also a women-owned business, so that is personally important for me to support. 

It’s Spring! As many of you know, I live in Toronto, which means that I’ve just endured a really messy, cold winter. Lots of my readers come from similar climates, so you understand what I mean when I say that it’s time to crack the whip on those meals we eat when it’s dark and cold.

It’s been a loooooong path from Halloween to Thanksgiving to my birthday, my daughter’s birthday, my mother-in-law’s birthday (did I mention how much I love cake?), Christmas, New Years, plenty of trips, my dad being sick…so even though I hate the word ‘detox’, I need to use it here to describe just how badly my body wants something like this grain bowl. Packed with fresh, healthy vegetables, chewy farro, and topped with black sesame dressing, all you need to do is toss in your favorite protein (or not) and it will be your new favorite make-ahead meal!

Mann’s stringless sugar snap peas are one of our family favourites. I’ve been known to gobble up an entire bag of them as a snack, and they’re always an easy go-to because they don’t require any prep. Nothing is more irritating than having to take the strings out of snap peas, but these have none! They’re always crispy, sweet, and perfect, raw or cooked.

Do NOT be alarmed with the color of the black sesame dressing. I am obsessed with black sesame, but it does look like you’re eating pavement when it’s in food. There’s a good reason why I didn’t show the dressed salad in the photos…but it definitely tastes amazing.

Black sesame tahini is available at supermarkets and small groceries, but if you can’t find it, by all means make the dressing with normal tahini. It will look prettier and the recipe will turn out exactly the same.

Other potential add-ins to this salad include avocado (natch), matchsticked jicama, microgreens (like in my photos), cherry tomatoes, pita crisps, roasted sweet potato slices, picked onions, and any other raw or cooked vegetable you’ve got.

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Spring Grain Bowl with Charred Sugar Snap Peas and Black Sesame Dressing

Had a long winter? This Spring grain bowl will shine some sun on your diet! Make it ahead of time for easy to pack lunches and quick dinners.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups farro
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 5 oz baby arugula
• 3 cups spiralized carrots - around 4 large
• 3 cups spiralized beets - around 2 large
• 1- 15 oz bag Mann’s stringless sugar snap peas - around 2 cups
• 4-6 radishes sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 2 teaspoons neutral oil
• 1/2 cup black sesame tahini - you can use regular tahini if you can’t find the black sesame one.
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced finely
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon -1 teaspoon lemon juice to taste
• Black sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Make the farro by rinsing it under fresh water and placing it into a pot. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then simmer for around 30 minutes. Pour off any excess broth and set the farro aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Make the dressing by combining the tahini, 2 tablespoons of oil, sesame oil, garlic, vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, and water. If it’s too thick, just add more water. The dressing will thicken upon standing, so feel free to add more water whenever you need to.
3. Heat a small frying or grill pan on medium high heat.
4. Toss the snap peas in 2 teaspoons of oil and add to the pan. cook, stirring and flipping often, until charred on both sides, around 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
5. Place the farro in a large bowl or on a platter.
6. Place the arugula on top of the farro.
7. Toss the carrots, beets, radishes, onion, mint, and snap peas in a bowl with the dressing and then place on top of the farro, or simply layer the vegetables on top of the farro and serve with the dressing on the side.
8. Garnish with black sesame seeds.