Seemingly overnight, it went from patio weather to hot toddy weather here. I didn’t even want to turn on my oven just a few weeks ago, and now I’ve fired up my slow cooker to make this easy farro sweet potato bean chili.

Has farro already been the popular new grain, and I’m just now getting the memo? I have no idea. When it comes to food trends, I’m definitely not on the cutting edge. I just know that I like farro’s chewy texture and flavor, which is a lot like brown rice, but that it actually has more protein and fiber than brown rice.

For a long time now, my go-to grain has been quinoa. It’s a complete source of protein that’s quick and easy to make, so I stuck with what I knew. But since giving up dairy in my diet, I’ve realized that I need to branch out and try new things. So the other day in the grocery store I grabbed a bag of farro, and a few days later I cooked it up. I know I’ve had farro, but I had never cooked it myself, and I was surprised how much I liked it. When I went to buy some at a different grocery store, though, I realized the the first packet I’d bought, from Trader Joes, was pre-cooked, so it cooked up in only 10 minutes, versus regular farro, which takes like an hour. But since this farro chili is made in a slow-cooker, it gets around that problem.

This recipe really couldn’t be much easier. Just chop up onion, garlic, and sweet potato, open some cans, and throw everything in a slow-cooker. In a couple of hours, you have a really satisfying meal. While you’re waiting, you could even cook up some cornbread, which would go perfectly with this.