You may have noticed that we have a new ingredients on next week’s menu: freekeh. So what the freek is freekeh? Our nutritionist Rebecca is here to to debunk this freeky grain. (Okay, enough of the puns.)

Freekeh Soup with Kale and Sweet Potatoes

We love quick, simple, and nutritious foods at HelloFresh!  There’s a new grain taking the spotlight called Freekeh.  Freekeh (free-kuh) is a wheat grain that is harvested at a young age while still in its green or yellow stage of growth.  It is then dried and roasted (set on fire in the farm fields) to give it a nutty, smoky flavor.  The chewy texture is very similar to bulgur wheat, and cooks up about the same time: 20 minutes.

Freekeh packs quite the punch – when compared to other grains, it is higher in protein (just ½ a cup = 16g of protein per serving), fiber (which helps you curb cravings), vitamins and minerals.  It also has a lower glycemic index, keeping those blood sugar levels in check.

This tasty new super-grain is also very important for bowel and immune function since it acts as a probiotic – which helps to maintain the growth and levels of good bacteria and gut flora in your intestines. Probiotics and prebiotics are getting a lot of attention these days as we begin to understand that food is not just about vitamins, proteins, and minerals, but also about other tiny organisms that help to break foods down in our body and prepare them to be used to fuel and energize us.  And when we get our freek on, we need energy!  So get to freekin’ out on Freekeh!