Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe

I found this recipe while leafing through Good Housekeeping magazine. It is a two for one. You take the left-overs (if there are any) and make something equally as amazing, yet totally different with them.  The first recipe is for a low maintenance risotto. You don’t have to babysit or fuss over it because it is made in the crock pot. What a fabulous idea. Instead of the usual Arborio Rice, this risotto features the heart loving, cholesterol scrubbing, nutritional hero, barley. This inexpensive recipe will make 6 generous servings. Bonus.

Winter Squash Barley Risotto

Original recipe from Good Housekeeping and modified by S. Duquet

Ingredients

2 Tbsp vegan butter (I used coconut butter)

2 shallots finely diced

1/2 tsp dried Thyme

2 C Pearl Barley

4 C lower sodium vegetable broth

2 C water

3 C Delicata Squash cut in 1/2 inch cubes

2 C Butternut squash cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1 tsp cracked pepper

1 tsp liquid aminos

1 tsp garlic powder

1 packed cup flat leaf parsley chopped

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 C non-dairy milk  (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

Make It Happen

~In a stock pot melt 2 Tbsp vegan butter. Add shallots and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently.

~Add Thyme and barley. Cook until light brown and toasted, stirring frequently.

~Transfer to a 6-qt slow crock pot and add water, broth, squash, black pepper, garlic and liquid aminos. Cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 hours.

~Uncover, stir well and add the Nutritional Yeast and non dairy milk. Cover and cook for 1 more hour.

~Uncover and gently stir in chopped parsley.  Serve with a biggie spinach salad for a gratifying meal with very little work, except peeling and dicing the squash.

Makes 6-8 servings as a main dish.

The Delicata cooks down and melts into the barley to create a brilliantly orange, creamy custard like sauce. The barley is nutty and earthy, complemented by the bright parsley. We were going to have it twice in a row but I had to say no and stand firm so we would have enough to make my risotto left-overs masterpiece. I will let you know how that goes tomorrow.

Have a delicious day.

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