Have You Tried Barley?

As I mentioned a few days ago, I love barley.  Love.  I thought you might like to know more about this under utilized grain.

• Barley is the fourth largest grain crop after wheat, rice and corn. It is grown all over the world
• Barley is a great source of dietary fiber and contains both soluble and insoluble fiber.
• Barley is naturally cholesterol-free and low in fat.  A 1/2-cup serving of cooked pearl barley, a typical grain serving, contains less than 1/2 gram of fat and only 100 calories
• Barley is generally available in its pearled, hulled and flaked form (pearled barley is probably the easiest to find – any grocery store should carry it)
• Store barley in a tightly covered container in a cool, dry place

I read somewhere that you can grind the barley to make barley flour.  It has a weaker gluten than wheat flour, so you can only use barley flour to replace one quarter (or less) of the regular flour in yeast bread recipes.  In other recipes (like pancakes, muffins or banana bread) it can replace up to half of the regular flour.  One of the things I love the most about barley is the wonderfully, nutty flavor so I can imagine that I would love it in some banana muffins or some Sunday afternoon waffles.   


Want to try barley?  These soups are on my “recipe testing” list:

Chicken and Barley Stew

White Bean ‘n’ Barley Soup

Tomato Barley Soup

Want to read more?

Why Barley Makes the Best Breakfast

The World’s Healthiest Foods: Barley

Barley Foods: Heath and Nutrition