By Carol Harrison @GreatMealIdeas
Once I heard barley can be steamrolled into flakes, just like rolled oats, I couldn’t try them soon enough.
Barley Flakes for 2015
Granola, hot cereal, cookies, pancakes, crumbles, smoothies, muesli—it was easy to imagine tasty new ways to enjoy the health benefits of barley. I easily found a few bulk-food stores that sell barley flakes—though I suspect we’ll see barley flakes alongside rolled oats in the cereal section of most grocery stores in the near future because (from what I hear) they are the New Year health fix for 2015.
Here is how you can incorporate this foodie trend into your diet this year:
Homemade Granola
I’ve already made a dozen jars of Barley Granola for gifts. You could just as easily swap half or more of the rolled oats in your own granola recipe (or any recipe, for that matter) with barley flakes.
Overnight Barley Breakfast
In the fridge now, I have this Overnight Barley Breakfast setting. Like muesli, it’s barley flakes soaked in yogurt with added fruit and nuts. On a busy weekday, it makes a satisfying grab-and-go breakfast, but I love it as a post-workout snack, too.
Crispy Barley Raisin Cookies
Today, I promised to wait until my daughter gets home from hockey practice to make these Crispy Barley Raisin Cookies. Made with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, they’ll be great with some hot apple cider while we admire the traveling snowflakes outside.
My wish for you in 2015
Make stealth health your goal for the New Year, and get healthy without really trying. Start simply—add a new healthy ingredient to your pantry, like barley flakes.
Cheers!
Carol