Slow Cooker Barley with Toasted Pine Nuts

This can be a meal by itself. I usually mix Pearl Barley and Camargue Mahogany Rice, which is rice from the Camargue area in France, and has a nutty flavor providing this dish a pleasant texture and presentation. This dish goes nicely with any meat or poultry dish.

Ingredients for Barley with Toasted Pine Nuts

Directions for Barley with Toasted Pine Nuts

1. Add all ingredients to VitaClayTM pot except the pine nuts and parsley.
2. Cover and set on Slow Cooking-Stew to cook for about 2 hours or until barley is tender but still al dente, and liquid is absorbed. Check for seasonings and adjust.
3. Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat or on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes to bring out their natural flavors. When ready to serve, mix into barley mix and serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Makes 6 servings.

Health Note:

Pine nuts are the edible seeds from several varieties of pine trees.

There are two main varieties: The Mediterranean or Italian pine nut and has a light delicate flavor and the Chinese pine nut has astrong, pungent flavor. Pine nuts are somewhat more expensivethan other nuts, due to a labor-intensive harvesting process.

Pine nuts are a good source of iron, containing almost 3 milligrams in a one-ounce serving. Adding nuts to your diet is oneof many nutritional strategies for reducingyour risk of coronary heart disease.

The best way to reduce yourrisk is to combine a high-fiberdiet, rich in complex carbohy drates (whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds) to a variety of fruits, vegetablesand low-fat dairy each day.