Quick Cheesy Vegetarian Barley Risotto Recipe, Plus The Big Traveling Potluck Recap

This Cheesy Vegetarian Barley Risotto recipe, rich with mushrooms and sugar snap peas, is a great quick option for any meal. Thanks to Kerrygold Cheese for helping me to share this recipe with you.

Moments of inspiration strike you when you least expect it. For me, those moments usually sneak up on me when I am feeling satisfied…in good company and with a full belly. The weekend at The Big Traveling Potluck was rich with such moments. This event is most easily described as a food blogging conference, but it is different than other conferences in many ways.

Maggy Keet and Pam Anderson of Three Many Cooks, and Erika of Ivory Hut (and their incredible team) are the heart, minds and palates behind The Big Potluck conferences (one easy coast, one west coast). The three of them understand that these weekends are about camaraderie, sharing stories and ideas and good food. Let’s not forget the food!

Food blogging can be a solitary pursuit, snapping photos in one’s kitchen and living room (that’s me) and sitting in front of a computer for hours each day. While strong connections are often made with other food bloggers through online forums and social media, there is something really special about connecting with each other face-to-face, sharing stories of personal struggles and victories, and trading tricks of the trade.

Before diving into the recipe (and it is a good one, trust me), I want to share some of the photos from the weekend. There were so many more wonderful moments than what I captured here, but here’s a taste.

Chris of La Peche loading us up with Kerrygold Cheese snacks and Maggy of Three Many Cooks, the consummate host

Diving in to breakfast and learning from Aran of Cannelle et Vanille.

Ashley of Edible Perspective and Tessa of Handle the Heat checking out the amazing Kitchen Aid ice cream bar, all handmade by Sharon of Three Many Cooks

Beautiful flower arrangements everywhere and copious amounts of Kerrygold cheese (heaven!)

Brian of A Thought for Food and me, and wearing my OXO tools on my arm

Sara of Go Gingham doing what bloggers do best

Megan of Country Cleaver topping off her salad

Left to right: Maggy of Three Many Cooks, Erika of Ivory Hut and Ashley of Not Without Salt

The recipe:

There are already of list of vegetarian recipes in our family’s repertoire that have become our favorites, such as this slow cooker recipe and this easy rice bowl. Now this quick barley risotto is going to take its own place of honor in the rotation.

I hear you saying, “This isn’t really risotto. Risotto can’t be quick and it doesn’t use barley.” You’re absolutely right.

Typically, risotto is made with arborio rice and is diligently stirred for half an hour or so, gradually adding small ladlefuls of broth. Yeah, I cheated. But the result was just as satisfying!

Barley is a powerhouse of fiber and protein, which makes it a healthier option than arborio rice. To make this recipe a better option for a weeknight, I used quick-cooking barley. Trader Joe’s makes a great 10-minute barley, but there are other brands available in supermarkets.

While most risotto recipes use chicken broth, I used a low-sodium vegetable broth to make this into a vegetarian dinner option. And I made a risotto faux-pas…I added all of the broth at once and simmered until the barley was tender.

Risotto just isn’t the same without a good handful of cheese added at the end. Instead of the traditional Parmesan, I grated some Kerrygold Dubliner cheese. That was a decision I will never regret! If you are a lover of Kerrygold’s Dubliner, you know what I’m talking about. The flavor is a mixture of nutty, sharp and sweet, and the texture allows it to melt beautifully into the toothy barley, blending perfectly with the sauteed mushrooms and sugar snap peas.

There is a reason that Kerrygold cheeses and butters are so good. The cows that provide the milk for the products are grass-fed, which means that the milk is high in beta-carotene, which is why Kerrygold products have that distinctive rich golden color. And the flavor says it all.

If you’d like to find out more about Kerrygold Cheeses and Butters, and to find out where they are sold, head to their website and follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Other vegetarian recipes:

Cookin’ Canuck’s Grilled Vegetable Wrap with Hummus
Cookin’ Canuck’s Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Cheese & Breadcrumb Topping
Foodiecrush’s Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna Soup
Oh My Veggies’ Mexican Baked Polenta with Salsa Beans & Sauteed Veggies
Eats Well With Others’ Vegetarian Pho

Quick Vegetarian Barley Risotto Recipe

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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size	1 cup
Amount Per Serving	As Served
Calories 330kcal Calories from fat 65
% Daily Value
Total Fat 7g	11%
Saturated Fat 2g	10%
Transfat 0g
Cholesterol 10mg	3%
Sodium 798mg	33%
Carbohydrate 56g	19%
Dietary Fiber 14g	56%
Sugars 5g
Protein 13g

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

	Calories	2000
Total Fat	Less than	65g
Sat Fat	Less than	25g
Cholesterol	Less than	300mg
Sodium	Less than	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate		300g
Dietary Fiber		25g

Preparation 15 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Calories 287.1/ Total Fat 6.5g / Saturated Fat 2.6g / Cholesterol 9.4mg / Sodium 245.1mg / Total Carbohydrates 47.7g / Fiber 9.1g / Sugars 3.8g / Protein 10.4g / WW (Old Points) 5 / WW (Points+) 7

Serves Serves 4     adjust servings

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed & thinly sliced
• 4 oz. crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 8 oz. sugar snap peas, trimmed & cut in half (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cup quick-cooking barley
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup grated Kerrygold Dubliner cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the shiitake and crimini mushrooms and cook until tender and just starting to brown, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the sugar snap peas and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
3. Using the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat.
4. Add the shallots and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the barley and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for 15 seconds.
6. Add the vegetable broth, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer until the barley is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
7. Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
8. Remove the barley from the heat, and stir in the Kerrygold cheese, mushrooms and sugar snap peas. Season to taste and serve.

by From the kitchen of cookincanuck.com

Recipe Notes

From the kitchen of Cookin' Canuck | cookincanuck.com

Disclosure: Kerrygold Cheese sponsored this post, and sponsored me to go to The Big Traveling Potluck. All opinions are my own.