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The best way to make a delicious butternut barley risotto

<p>Barley has a fabulous chewy texture and nutty flavour that works well in a risotto in place of rice. It's naturally high in fibre and rich in the minerals manganese, magnesium and selenium, which all add up to help prevent heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Barley has a low GI, which means it is great for sustained energy and to help keep bloodsugar levels stable.</p> <p>If you have some greens like silverbeet or kale on hand, add these to the risotto at the end — or leave the greens out and serve with a green salad instead. It's delicious either way. </p> <p>Eating risotto on the coldest of nights is like giving yourself a big, warm food hug!</p> <p><strong>Preparation time:</strong> 20 minutes<span> </span><br /><strong>Cooking time:</strong> 40 minutes </p> <p><strong>Ingredients </strong></p> <ul> <li>1 kg peeled weight butternut or Jap pumpkin, cut into small chunks </li> <li>1 Tbsp olive oil  </li> <li>Good pinch dried chilli flakes</li> <li>Leaves from 1 stalk fresh sage</li> <li>1 Tbsp olive oil, extra </li> <li>1 red onion, finely chopped</li> <li>2 leeks, white part only, sliced </li> <li>3 garlic cloves, finely chopped </li> <li>250 g (1¼ cups) pearl barley, soaked overnight in cold water</li> <li>1 glass dry white wine </li> <li>1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock</li> <li>½ small bunch silverbeet, spinach or kale (optional)</li> <li>50 g (generous ½ cup) freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve </li> </ul> <p><strong>Method </strong></p> <p>1. Preheat your oven to 220° C fan-forced and line two baking trays with foil or nonstick baking paper. Toss the pumpkin with the first tablespoon of olive oil, chilli flakes, half the sage leaves and sea salt to taste. Place in a single layer on the baking trays and roast until tender and slightly charred around the edges, about 20 minutes. </p> <p>2. Puree half the pumpkin with a little of the stock in a food processor until smooth.</p> <p>3. Heat the extra olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the leeks, onion, garlic and the rest of the sage along with a good pinch of salt and cook over a gentle heat for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the barley, increase the heat to medium and toast the grains for a few minutes.</p> <p><br />4. Pour in the wine and let it bubble until absorbed. Add 3 cups of the stock and the pureed pumpkin. Stir well, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer until the stock is nearly absorbed and the barley is almost tender, stirring occasionally. Check after 15 minutes. When almost tender, but still with a bit of bite in the centre, add the cubed pumpkin, the silverbeet, spinach or kale (if using) and as much of the remaining stock as you need (if you run out of stock, add a splash of water). You want the barley to be quite liquid. Stir well and continue to simmer over low heat for a few more minutes until the greens are tender.</p> <p><br />5. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Taste and add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover and allow to stand for a couple of minutes (this makes the texture creamier).</p> <p>6. Spoon into serving bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil and the extra Parmesan. </p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/butternut-barley-risotto.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

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Maggie Beer’s spiced sweet potato with black barley and honey turmeric walnuts

<p>“I can’t resist white sweet potato; I’ve loved it since childhood. For you it might be orange or purple sweet potato, both of which I use often as well. It’s important that the spices are fresh. Forgive me for repeating myself but you should only buy spices in small quantities and roast them before grinding for maximum freshness and flavour. Black barley is my new favourite grain – so much so that I’m working on some South Australian growers to plant it. Might take a few seasons but watch this space!” writes Maggie Beer in her new book Maggie’s Recipes for Life.</p> <p>Based on the latest scientific research and with the help of one of the world’s leading Alzheimer’s researchers Professor Ralph Martins, Maggie has created more than 200 recipes that help provide the nutrient we need for optimum brain health.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves</span></strong>: 4</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span><strong> </strong></p> <ul> <li>½ cup (100 g) raw black barley (see note)</li> <li>1.2 kg white, orange or purple sweet potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed and chopped into 3 cm chunks</li> <li>2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg</li> <li>½ teaspoon ground cinnamon</li> <li>1 teaspoon ground cumin</li> <li>¼ teaspoon ground allspice</li> <li>Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper</li> <li>1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves</li> <li>½ cup mint leaves, torn</li> <li>160 g Persian feta, crumbled</li> </ul> <p><em>For the honey turmeric walnuts</em></p> <ul> <li>1 cup (100 g) walnuts</li> <li>1 tablespoon raw honey</li> <li>½ teaspoon ground turmeric</li> <li>Pinch of sea salt flakes</li> </ul> <p><em>For the vinaigrette</em></p> <ul> <li>3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>3 tablespoons walnut oil</li> <li>3 tablespoons orange juice</li> <li>1 tablespoon lemon juice</li> <li>Sea salt flakes and freshly ground ground pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method</span></strong>:</p> <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 220˚C (fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.</li> <li>Place the black barley in a sieve and rinse under cold water. Place in a medium saucepan with 1 litre water and bring to the boil over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the barley is tender, then drain. Tip into a large bowl and cover with a cloth to prevent it drying out.</li> <li>Meanwhile, place the sweet potato, olive oil and spices in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine well. Spread over the lined tray and roast for 30–35 minutes or until golden and tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 180˚C (fan-forced).</li> <li>To make the honey turmeric walnuts, place the walnuts on a baking tray and cook for 8–10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Pour into a clean tea towel and rub off the skins while still warm.</li> <li>In a small bowl, combine the honey, turmeric, salt and just enough water to make a thick paste. Add the toasted walnuts and stir to coat well. Spread over a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 10 minutes or until the walnuts are crunchy but still a bit sticky.</li> <li>To make the vinaigrette, place all the ingredients in a jar. Seal, then shake until well combined.</li> <li>To serve, add the sweet potato, herbs and half the vinaigrette to the barley and combine well. Place in a serving bowl, scatter with the walnuts and feta and serve with the remaining dressing alongside.</li> </ol> <p>Note: Sweet potato is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, manganese, copper and fibre. Black barley is an heirloom grain variety that is rich in nutritional value and flavour. Sometimes called purple barley, it has a nuttier taste than white barley and provides protein, fibre, manganese, selenium, anthocyanin antioxidants and some B-vitamins. Contains gluten.</p> <p><img width="158" height="211" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44800/image__158x211.jpg" alt="Image_ (13)" style="float: right;"/></p> <p><em>This is an extract from </em>Maggie’s Recipe for Life<em> by Maggie Beer with Professor Ralph Martins, published by Simon &amp; Schuster Australia, RRP $39.99. Photo credit: Dragan Radocaj</em></p>

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Spicy beef and barley soup

<p>Rich, aromatic and very tender, this spicy beef and barley soup tastes great with a side of sesame flatbread and is a real winner during the cooler months. </p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 6</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>1 large onion, finely chopped</li> <li>2 carrots, peeled, finely diced</li> <li>2 sticks celery, thinly sliced</li> <li>4 cloves garlic, finely chopped</li> <li>½ teaspoon chilli flakes</li> <li>600g boned beef shin, diced 2cm</li> <li>2 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted</li> <li>½ teaspoon ground cinnamon</li> <li>1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika</li> <li>1 teaspoon ground turmeric</li> <li>400g can chopped tomatoes in juice</li> <li>4 tablespoons tomato paste</li> <li>½ cup pearl barley</li> <li>1.5 litres beef stock</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method: </span></strong></p> <ol> <li>To begin, heat the oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat then add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chilli flakes, beef and cumin seeds.</li> <li>Fry for about 10 minutes or until the onion is soft and everything is browned.</li> <li>Add the cinnamon, paprika, turmeric, tomatoes, tomato paste, barley, stock and a litre of water.</li> <li>Bring to the boil then simmer for one and a half hours or until the beef is very tender.</li> <li>Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper then serve with warm flatbreads.</li> </ol> <p>Have you ever tried a recipe like this? What’s your favourite dish to enjoy on a cold winter’s night? Let us know in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Written by Ray McVinnie. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong><em>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/08/sri-lankan-chicken-curry/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Sri Lankan chicken curry</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/07/braised-beef-shin/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Braised beef shin</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/05/spicy-beef-curry-with-cauliflower-rice/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Spicy beef curry with cauliflower rice</strong></em></span></a></p>

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