Barley Mushroom and Herb Risotto - PCOS-Friendly Recipe
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
- 6 cups reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tsp chopped fresh chives
- ½ tsp salt (optional)
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a sauce pan, bring chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat. Set aside but keep warm on low heat.
- Add 1 tsp olive oil to another medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until clear. Add barley and sauté 2 more minutes.
- Ladle one half cup of hot broth into barley mixture, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Continue that process, one ladle full at a time until the barley is cooked and has a creamy texture.
- Add two tsp olive oil to a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until all of the liquid from the mushrooms is expelled and mushrooms are beginning to brown. Add garlic and sauté 1 more minute.
- Add sautéed mushrooms and garlic to barley mixture, then stir in parsley, chives, salt (optional), ground black pepper and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
- If the barley risotto gets too thick, add more hot broth, stirring, until creamy.
How This Recipe Supports PCOS Management
Understanding the nutritional profile of what you eat is a powerful step in managing PCOS. Here is how the key ingredients in this Barley Mushroom and Herb Risotto contribute to your health goals:
- Chicken: Protein-rich meals help manage insulin resistance common in PCOS
- Olive oil: Anti-inflammatory properties make it especially beneficial for PCOS
- Garlic: May help reduce cholesterol levels often elevated in PCOS
- Mushroom: Vitamin D deficiency is common in PCOS and supplementation may improve symptoms
- Onion: Support cardiovascular health and blood sugar regulation
PCOS Diet Principles in This Recipe
The PCOS diet focuses on three core principles: reducing inflammation, managing insulin resistance, and supporting hormonal balance. Every recipe in our collection is evaluated against these principles. This recipe excels in providing protein-rich ingredients that help regulate appetite hormones (ghrelin and leptin), and anti-inflammatory spices that target the chronic inflammation underlying PCOS. As part of a balanced PCOS meal plan, we recommend pairing recipes like this with a variety of nutrient-dense foods throughout the week to ensure you are meeting all your micronutrient needs.
Meal Prep Tip: This Barley Mushroom and Herb Risotto can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Meal prepping is one of the most effective strategies for sticking to a PCOS-friendly diet, as it removes the temptation to reach for processed convenience foods when time is short.
PCOS-Friendly Foods in This Recipe
This recipe contains the following foods that may benefit PCOS management: Barley.
Barley is about the best grain a woman with PCOS can eat. It is low in calories and has the lowest GI of all grains. Low-GI grains such as barley take much longer to digest and create a slow, steady rise in blood glucose and insulin levels. As mentioned before on Fertility Chef, low-GI foods reduce cravings. If possible, try and find hulled barley as it is the most nutrient dense of all types of barley.
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