Heart Healthy Spinach and Mushroom Barley Pilaf

Hello, everybody! The Fresh Pioneer is back in the cafe with a delicious, healthy recipe. This is a good side dish for those drop-in dinner guests that always happen around the Fourth of July! Super simple, filling, and takes just a few minutes to cook. 

This is another recipe from the diabetes cookbook I picked up from our library. So far, every recipe I've tried has been easy and delicious. You can't ask for more than that!

 Ingredients:
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup quick cooking barley (I used regular since that's what I had in the cabinet)
1 tbs canola oil
1 1/2 tbs diced onions
mushrooms (I used crimini and here's a great article on their special health benefits, which are different than regular white button mushrooms)
2 tbs garlic
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 tsp oregeno
1/2 tsp salt (I skipped because I used chicken broth and it tasted fine without it)


 Bring the chicken broth to a boil and stir in the barley. Turn it down to a simmer and put on a tight lid. Leave it for 10-15 minutes, stirring a few times to make sure it's not sticking/ burning to the bottom of the pot.

 Put oil, onions, garlic and mushrooms (washed and sliced) into a non-stick pan. Stir on medium heat until onions are cooked. I like my mushrooms a bit carmelized so I turned the heat up to medium high.

Check the barley and when it's cooked (soft) remove it from the heat. Don't drain the excess liquid because it adds flavor to the barley. Put the baby spinach in with the mushrooms and stir for a few minutes, just until wilted.

 Dice the tomatoes and toss with the rest of the ingredients. The book says this recipe has 150 calories a serving, 24 carbs, 4 g of fiber and 3 of protein.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Fourth of July! We're still traveling, but we're hoping to see some beautiful fireworks displays on the coast. Have a great time celebrating our country's independence and I'll see you next weekend in the cafe, my friends!