Despite breaking all the “rules” of risotto, this bacon and barley version is intensely delicious.

It starts by ditching the rice in favor of quick barley, a common soup ingredient that takes just 10 minutes to cook. Barley has a chewier and in some ways more satisfying texture than the traditional arborio rice called for by most recipes.

To lend deep savory flavor to this risotto, the butter normally used to saute the onion (and often to briefly toast the rice) is replaced with bacon fat. No, it’s not the leanest thing in the world. But it is good.

You get the bacon fat by first cooking several strips of bacon. The cooked bacon is removed from the pan, then later added to kale, which is briefly wilted to create a delicious green bed on which to serve the risotto.

If you’d rather lighten up this dish, you could use just one slice of bacon and a bit of olive oil. The flavor won’t be as intense, but you’ll still be able to appreciate the taste.

Many risotto recipes also call for heating the broth before adding it to the rice. As long as your broth is at room temperature, this isn’t necessary for this version.

The goat cheese stirred in just before serving lends a wonderful creamy counterpoint to the bacon. The more traditional (and more flavorful) Parmesan cheese would compete too much with the bacon. Grated cheddar also would work.

serves 6
You might need to buy:
  • red pepper flakes
  • quick barley
  • olive oil
Belongs to kylerhea Kasha Pilaf 
You might need to buy:
  • butter
  • chopped onions
  • kasha
You might need to buy:
  • sea salt
  • olive oil
  • dried chilli flakes
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Brown rice pasta for 4
serves 4
You might need to buy:
  • ribs celery
  • vegetable oil
  • long-grain rice
  • chicken breast halves
  • garlic
  • ginger
  • chicken broth

*Either beef marrowbones or shinbones will work in this recipe.
#Dried great northern beans, navy beans, or cannellini beans can be used.

serves 8
You might need to buy:
  • beef marrowbones*
  • vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • all-purpose flour
  • low-sodium beef broth
  • water
  • pearl barley

I make this with organic canned kidney beans since I don’t have a pressure cooker yet, so I’m going to rewrite the recipe to reflect that, but if you have dried, you can certainly pre-cook them. Also, this is another recipe we sometimes double (the leftovers are great for days).

It was incredible cooked in a pumpkin (<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/chanale/297551026/">see photo</a>).

ready in about 30 minutes; serves 6
You might need to buy:
  • large green pepper
  • corn
  • kidney beans

This makes for great lunch box or picnic fare. When we have it for dinner, we double the recipe because it makes for good leftovers, too! The recipe calls for the quinoa to be boiled like pasta, but I prefer simmering it like brown rice, so I’ve adjusted the water in the ingredient list accordingly (you may have to use up to 2 c.) and have rewritten the directions.

ready in about 20 minutes; serves 5
You might need to buy:
  • parsley
  • carrots

Delicious and filling. I like to alternate this one with “Ancient Grain Raisin Cereal.”

ready in about 20 minutes; serves 4
You might need to buy:
  • toasted cereal mix
  • spelt
  • millet
  • wheat berries

This is my favorite morning cereal. If you already have the toasted mix in your pantry, it cooks up in under 15 minutes. You can substitute steel-cut oats for whole, but don’t use rolled oats. Pearled barley will also work, but it’s not as nutritious as hulled.

ready in about 20 minutes; serves 4
You might need to buy:
  • whole oats
  • polenta
  • amaranth
  • toasted cereal mix
  • hulled barley
  • millet

Makes perfect rice everytime.
To minimize any loss of water through evaporation, cover the saucepan and use the water as soon as it reaches a boil. An 8-in ceramic baking dish and foil. To double the recipe, use 13 × 9-inch baking dish; the baking time need not be increased.

serves 4
You might need to buy:
  • unsalted butter or vegetable oil
  • salt