Lunch: Mote con Huesillos

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Barley, Cinnamon, Lemon

Health and fertility benefits of Mote con Huesillos

Barley is about the best grain a woman with PCOS can eat. It is low in calories and has the lowest GI of all grains. Low-GI grains such as barley take much longer to digest and create a slow, steady rise in blood glucose and insulin levels. As mentioned before on Fertility Chef, low-GI foods reduce cravings. If possible, try and find hulled barley as it is the most nutrient dense of all types of barley. Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to.

Ingredients

8 ounces dried peach halves
5 cups of water
1/4 cup of sugar
Whole cinnamon stick
Lemon or orange peel
1 cup pearled barley or wheat berries, cooked

Instructions

Combine dried peaches and water and soak overnight in refrigerator to rehydrate.
In a large heavy pot, pour sugar and cook over medium heat, moving pan frequently but not stirring until the sugar melts and takes on a light amber hue. Off heat, careful to avoid any steam or sputtering, add one cup of the soaking water from the peaches. Stir over medium heat until the caramel has dissolved. Add the remaining soaking water, peaches, cinnamon stick and lemon (or orange) peel. Return to a simmer and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature then chill until cold.
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooked barley or wheat berries to the bottom of a tall glass. Add 2 to 3 peach halves and top off with juice. Stir in additional sugar or honey to taste. Serve with a spoon to break up the peaches and scoop out the grains.
Note: Chile and mote can be difficult to find in the United States but cooked barley or wheat berries can be substituted.

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