Are you on the health or hibernation track this winter? If like me, you’ve clocked up too much time typing with ugg boots on, it’s time to shake it up. Why not move it indoors with swimming, pilates or yoga? Or cook up a fabulous winter warmer recipe, for comfort food of the healthy kind? And if like me, you’re struggling with a cold this week, this chicken and barley soup is absolutely perfect.
About our expert:
Caroline Trickey APD is a passionate foodie and compulsive cook. She has been a dietitian for nearly 10 years, but prior to this ran a very busy, successful café and catering business for more than 12 years in Melbourne. Caroline combines her private practice with teaching healthy cooking classes in Sydney. To inspire more people to get into the kitchen to prepare simple and delicious meals from scratch she shares her fantastic, original recipes and culinary nutrition tips on her blog Healthy Home Café.
I’m a firm believer that food prepared at home is much healthier because you avoid all the unhealthy oils, salt, sugar and other additives found in most processed and pre-prepared foods. But there’s no getting away from the fact that you have to plan ahead for health. It is the single most important thing you can do, and the one most clients aren’t doing when they first come to me. Plan your week’s intake, shop accordingly and spend a few hours on Sunday doing prep for the week ahead.
I’m also a firm believer of cook once and eat two, three or four times from it. This time of year is great for cooking big batches of casseroles, curries or soups and freezing portions for the week or weeks ahead. The recipe below is perfect for this; if you have a pot big enough you can double or triple it!
Chicken and Barley Winter Vegetable Soup
This recipe is one of my all-time favorites, it was very popular at my café and is a winner with my clients. It is a thick, hearty, budget friendly, tasty soup and just perfect for a chilly Winters day.
Makes 10-12 serves
2 large brown onions (330 g), peeled and diced (or 1 onion and 1 leek)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 large stalks celery (2 ½ cups), diced
4 medium carrots (3 ¾ cups), diced
2 cups diced pumpkin (approx. 300g)
1 kg (6) chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1 cup (200 g) pearl barley, rinsed
2 litres chicken stock (I like Massels concentrated Chicken liquid stock)
3 cups water
Pepper
1 cup fresh parsley, chives and/or coriander, chopped
Directions:
Heat a large pot over medium heat. When hot add the onions and the oil and sautee for 5 minutes until the onions soften and start to brown on the edges.
Add the celery, carrots and pumpkin and sautee for 2-3 minutes, then add chicken drumsticks and sautee for a further 3-4 minutes.
Add pearl barley, chicken stock and water and bring to the boil
Place a lid on the pot, turn heat down and simmer for 60 minutes, until the barley is soft and the chicken starts to fall off the bones of the drumsticks
Remove drumsticks from soup pot and set aside to cool
When cold, strip the meat off the bones (removing any fat) and add back to the soup along with pepper
Taste and adjust seasoning if required
Just before serving stir through most of the fresh herbs, reserving a little to garnish each bowl.
I love all the buzz around ancient grains but I also love going back to traditional soup staple, pearl barley. If you want a wholegrain option, look out for whole Barley Grits which take longer to cook but retain the outer layers of the grain. Barley is packed with vitamins (such as B group vitamins, which are important for energy release and support the body during stressful times and Vitamin E, great for your skin), minerals (including selenium which prevents tissue damage caused by free radicals) and phytonutrients (like lignans which reduce the risk of hormone related cancers like breast cancer). It is also high in both insoluble and soluble fibre beta-glucan (the same as oats) that can help to lower cholesterol levels. Pearl barley has a low GI (around 22) to keep you fuller for longer, control blood sugar, manage insulin resistance and that extra padding over winter.
Editor’s comment:
This looks delicious and nutritious thanks Caroline! And I can’t wait to share the other recipes you have for us over the next few weeks. Miss 12 would love this with a dollop of pesto but I think a good dose of harissa will help me warm from within. I’m feeling better already just reading this recipe and off to get my cook on!
