A slow, savoury stew where pearl barley and chickpeas do the heavy lifting: chewy grains and soft pulses in a garlicky tomato broth, with spinach stirred through at the end. The kind of pot that gets better as leftovers.
Ingredients
- 150g pearl barley
- 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 litre vegetable stock, 1 tsp smoked paprika
Method
- Soften the onion and garlic in a little oil for 5 minutes, then stir in the paprika.
- Add the barley, chickpeas, tomatoes and stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 35–40 minutes until the barley is tender.
- Stir the spinach through at the end until just wilted, and season to taste.
Why it works
Both stars here are steady-energy foods. Barley is unusually rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that slows how quickly a meal raises blood sugar, and chickpeas add low-glycaemic protein and yet more fibre. Together they make a meal that releases its energy slowly rather than in a spike.
