Gnarly Barley Breakfast Bowls

There were 4.9 million metric tons of barley grown in the US in 2009.  In case anyone’s keeping score, that makes the US the seventh greatest barley producer on planet earth.  Barley has eight essential amino acids and can regulate blood sugar for up to 10 hours after consumption.

Good stuff, right?!

It turns out that barley makes an excellent “glue” for on-the-go breakfast bowls.  Scramble some egg with rosemary, toss in some dry roasted cherry tomatoes, and chop a bunch of bright green chives.

Add carmelized shallot…

smoked salmon for protein…

and a nice crumble of fresh farmer’s market cheese.  I like this creamy “Foggy Morning” cheese made by the friendly folks from Nicasio Valley Cheese Company.  They usually set up shop two stands away from my egg guy.  Aren’t these pretty eggs?  I like to buy brown eggs, mostly because those are the kind that Giada always uses on her Food Network show.  Priorities, people!

I’ve found that Sunday mornings are a great day to prep food for the week.  My recipe will partially fill five Ziplock Twist ‘N Loc 16 oz. plastic containers.  (Side bar: I LOVE these containers.  They don’t spill a drop!  And they resist tomato stains.  Come over and open my freezer and you will see that the SC Johnson company has profited handsomely from my patronizing of their plastic containers.)  Breakfast has become a brainless activity in the morning.  I grab a bowl from the fridge, warm it up on the way out the door, and dash out with a fork in hand.  Call me a distracted driver, but if I have to sit and suffer in traffic in the morning, at least I will have my barley bowl.  And at least that barley will get me a good 10 hours of glucose control.

Now that I’ve inspired you to embrace the benefits of barley bowls, here’s the recipe.  You’ll thank me later.  I know you will!

Gnarly Barley Breakfast Bowls

1.  1 c. dry barley
2.  3 c. water
3.  3 eggs, scrambled with salt + paper (optional: add dried rosemary)
4.  a few ounces of smoked salmon, sliced (I like the Whole Catch Alaskan smoked salmon available at Whole Foods)
5.  2 shallots, thinly sliced and carmelized in butter with a pinch of brown sugar
6.  1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced and dry roasted for 2-3 minutes with salt in a hot skillet
7.  1/2 a wheel of foggy morning cheese (or comparable)
8.  chives to your liking, chopped

To cook barley, bring 3 c. water to a boil.  Add barley (rinse it until the water runs clear) and simmer covered, on low, for 25 minutes.  Remove cover and allow remaining water to boil off (additional 5-10 minutes depending on humidity in your area, watch carefully to prevent barley from burning/sticking/drying out).  Add three wooden spoonfuls to each container or bowl until barley is evenly distributed.  Top with scrambled egg, smoked salmon, carmelized shallot, dry roasted cherry tomatoes, soft cow’s milk (foggy morning) cheese, and chives.  Serve warm.  Makes 5 bowls.  (I keep two bowls in the fridge to get through Tuesday and freeze the remaining three.  On Tuesday morning I transfer two more bowls from freezer to fridge, and on Thursday I move the last bowl into the fridge for Friday consumption.)

 

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