A cold, rainy spring day seems better with a dish of hearty, but not too heavy, mushrooms and barely. Laden with fiber and minerals, this risotto-ish dish can satisfy both vegans and omnivores.
Although reminiscent of risotto, I do not cook it exactly like a traditional risotto or even my orzo with mushroom risotto-ish dish. Instead, I cook the mushrooms and barley separately before combining them for the finished product.
It is very easy and very tasty. A leafy spring salad is a terrific accompaniment for a nicely balance meal.
If you want to make it vegan, just use vegan vegetable stock and vegan parm-ish cheese. Vegan cheese can be made the cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt. There is also grate (I couldn’t resist) recipe for a vegan cheese that looks and taste a lot like the real thing over at Jane’s Healthy Kitchen.
