Lunch: Barley Mushroom and Herb Risotto

You can add cooked chicken or shrimp to this dish and make it a meal!

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Barley

Health and fertility benefits of Barley Mushroom and Herb Risotto

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.

Ingredients

6 cups reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 cup pearl barley
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
½ tsp salt (optional)
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a sauce pan, bring chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat. Set aside but keep warm on low heat.
Add 1 tsp olive oil to another medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until clear. Add barley and sauté 2 more minutes.
Ladle one half cup of hot broth into barley mixture, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Continue that process, one ladle full at a time until the barley is cooked and has a creamy texture.
Add two tsp olive oil to a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until all of the liquid from the mushrooms is expelled and mushrooms are beginning to brown. Add garlic and sauté 1 more minute.
Add sautéed mushrooms and garlic to barley mixture, then stir in parsley, chives, salt (optional), ground black pepper and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
If the barley risotto gets too thick, add more hot broth, stirring, until creamy.

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