Barley with lentils and mushrooms
Built around lower-GI carbohydrate choices; this finished recipe has not been GI-tested. Portion size and cooking method still matter.
Ingredients:
- Pearl barley (200 g)
- Green lentils (400 g)
- Mushrooms (350 g)
- Spinach (150 g)
- Onion (100 g)
- Garlic (10 g)
- Water (1000 ml)
- Olive oil (30 ml)
- Rosemary (2 g)
- Lemon juice (30 ml)
- Salt and pepper
Method:
Barley with the vegetables doing their share
Serves 4. Allow 50 minutes. The barley keeps a pleasant bite, while the vegetables make this a generous plate without a large grain portion. The barley weight is dry; any pulses are weighed cooked and drained.
Cook the grain
Rinse the barley and put it in a saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30–40 minutes or according to the packet, until tender but still chewy. Add more water if needed and drain any excess at the end.
Cook the vegetables
Meanwhile, chop the onion and garlic. Wash and slice the firm vegetables, keeping leaves separate. Warm the olive oil in a wide pan and soften the onion for 5 minutes. Add the firm vegetables and dried seasoning and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring, until tender. Add garlic for the last minute; a splash of water helps if the pan becomes dry.
Bring everything together
Fold in the cooked barley and any pulses. Add the leaves and heat through for 5 minutes. Finish with lemon, salt and pepper. If feta is listed, crumble it on top. Share between four plates. Barley is the lower-GI carbohydrate choice here; no GI value has been measured for the finished dish.