If you’re a foodie, you’ve likely already tried barley risotto — but if not, I highly recommend it. A more-nutritious cousin to regular Arborio rice risotto (barley has three times more fiber than white rice and is packed with vitamins and minerals), barley risotto is easy to make and easy to modify with whatever you have in your kitchen. We ran a recipe for it when I was an editor for Natural Home & Garden magazine a few years ago, but you can make this dish with a huge variety of ingredients. Since we first tried it a few months ago, my husband and I make it at least once a week — if not more!
Start by mincing some crushed garlic (did you know you’ll get more health benefits from cooked garlic if you crush it and let it sit for 15 minutes before cooking?) and dicing some onions (one large onion will do).We add all sorts of things to the barley risotto. It can be easier to prepare your additions in a second pan, but you can also add them to the barley mix as it’s steam-cooking (especially for something like broccoli). A mix of mushrooms sautéed in butter and garlic makes a fabulous addition. Diced sweet potatoes, added about halfway through the barley cooking time, makes for a hearty winter dish. We’ve also added delicious chicken meatballs from Aidells (made with chicken and turkey raised humanely on independent farms) to bring in some additional protein — Aidells Caramelized Onion meatballs and sautéed Brussels sprouts is a delicious combination.
