Sweet Breakfast Barley Bowl with Pear and Walnuts

Frances Largeman-Roth By on

Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, bestselling author and nutrition expert
www.franceslargemanroth.com; @FrancesLRothRD

As a parent and professional, I’m always looking for easy, yet flavorful and delicious recipes that can be prepped ahead of time and taken on-the-go. With the warmer weather and longer daylight, it’s all the more important to be satisfied so I can seize the day.

Enter one of my go-to breakfasts bowls. Both the barley and pear are high in fiber (this recipe has 17g per serving!), to keep you feeling full until lunch.

Instead of making the individual servings, you could use the whole batch of barley at once and top it with the sliced pears and walnuts to bring to a picnic or other summertime gathering. Bosc and Red and Green Anjou, so called “winter pears” are in season at the moment, and only ripen evenly to sweet, juiciness after a good long rest in cold storage. As they don’t ripen well on the tree, they’ve been chilling since late last fall and are now perfectly ripe for adding to your favorite spring and summer recipes!

A white bowl of barley topped with pears and walnuts on a blue tablecothSweet Breakfast Barley Bowl with Pear and Walnuts

Makes 6 servings

2 cups uncooked hulled (or pearled) barley, rinsed
pinch of salt

Per serving:
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk or any type of milk
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon golden raisins
1 USA pear, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

1. Cook the barley: In a large saucepan, combine the barley with the salt and 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes, until tender but still chewy. Drain off any excess water.

2. Once the barley is cooked, you may use it immediately or let it cool and transfer it to a large airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

3. When you’re ready for your breakfast bowl, place 1 cup of the cooked barley in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk the milk, cinnamon, honey, vanilla and raisins together in a small bowl and then pour over the barley. Microwave for 40 seconds. Arrange the pear slices and walnuts on top and enjoy.
Calories: 411
Fat: 0.29g (sat 0.03g, moo 0.03g, poly 0.1g)
Protein: 10g
Carbohydrates: 83g
Fiber: 17g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 59mg
Potassium: 593mg
Calcium: 84mg

This recipe for Sweet Breakfast Barley with Pear and Walnuts is from my cookbook, Eating in Color.

About Frances Largeman-Roth

Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, is a New York Times best selling author and nationally recognized health expert. Frances was the Food and Nutrition Director at Health magazine for nearly eight years. She writes for Parents, BabyCenter, Today.com, Cooking Light magazine and other publications. Frances is a sought after spokesperson and provides private nutrition counseling to clients through her HealthyHousecalls. Frances is the author of Feed the Belly: The Pregnant Mom's Healthy Eating Guide and co-author of the bestselling The CarbLovers Diet and The CarbLovers Diet Cookbook. Her latest cookbook is Eating In Color: Delicious, Healthy Recipes for You and Your Family. Frances earned her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and completed her dietetic internship at Columbia University. Frances lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and three kids. To learn more, go to www.franceslargemanroth.com, or follow her on social media @FrancesLRothRD.

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