It’s time for another Secret Recipe Club post!  This month, my assignment was The Tasty Cheapskate.  Food was not a big focus for Jean growing up, neither eating it nor cooking it, which is pretty much the opposite of my childhood.  Luckily all that changed for her as an adult.  Now she focuses on whole foods and budget friendly family meals.  She even did a challenge where she fed her 6 person family on $6 a day!  Incredible!

Looking through her blog, I found a lot of yummy baked goods.  Like a bunch of different pull-apart breads, but especially this coconut and lime one.  Also zucchini bread with lemon or with coconut.  And self frosting nutella pumpkin muffins – shut the front door!  But despite all those yummy delights, what I really wanted was a nice healthy meal – so my eyes lit up when I saw this Broccoli Barley Casserole.  And I was even more excited when I saw that the original recipe used farro, which I have been meaning to start using for a long time, and that it could be made in one pot.

Start by sauteing onions and garlic in a Dutch oven.  Then add the farro and allow to toast a bit.

Add in frozen spinach, water, and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid is almost all gone and the farro is tender but still chewy, about 20 minutes. (more…)