Getting more fiber is a tasty proposition if you start cooking barley once or twice each week. Barley is the highest fiber grain I know of and has been sited with a plethora of health benefits: Regularity, lower cholesterol, intestinal protection, protection from arteriosclerosis, gallstones, cancers, heart disease and heart failure, cardiovascular and breast cancer benefits for postmenopausal women, lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes, protection from childhood asthma, and the list goes on!
For me, the taste and texture is a good enough reason to eat barley – and its a nice change from brown rice. Here is a quick and easy recipe that takes advantage of spring peas and early corn – or load it up with any of your favorite veggies!
Eating healthy really isn’t that hard. Choose a small but satisfying piece of high-grade meat (avoid bulk and processed meats – over 70% of the market!) and complement it with a half plate of veggies and a quarter plate of whole grain. Your body and tastebuds will thank you for it!
2 cups chicken stock or broth (more than gourmet suggested)
1 cup quick cooking barley
1.5 cups shucked fresh peas
1 ear of corn, kernels removed
2-3 TBS butter
2-4 TBS Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
fine sea salt and white pepper
Bring stock to a boil, add barley and half the peas, cover and reduce to a simmer. When barley is almost done (10 minutes or so) stir in remaining peas and corn and cook for 3-4 minutes longer.
Stir in butter, parmesan, salt and pepper to taste – serve. Great with anything from seafood to chicken, pork and steak. – Chef Mick (Michaelangelo) Rosacci
Get all the information on barley in this particularly complete article… http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=127
About the author: Chef Mick (Michaelangelo) Rosacci is the Corporate Chef and co-owner of Tony’s Markets in the Denver Metro area. Mick also teaches cooking on Denver’s Channel 7 News and Dig In, a local gardening show on FOX. For more recipes, visit www.TonysMarket.com and/or join Tony’s Culinary Club.
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