Barley Flakes - Stock & Prep - 1kg

What is Barley? On first glance ‘barley’ doesn’t seem like a word that many of us have heard of, or relate to in our day-to-day life. However, barley is the fourth most common grain used across the world. After wheat, rice, and corn, barley is the next grain used in many of our foods and drinks. Barley comes from a cereal plant and can grow in many climates. Hence, why it’s turned out as quite a popular grain. Where is it from? Originating from northwestern Europe, Egypt and Mesopotamia, Barley was one of the first grains found in ancient civilisations. Now, predominantly grown in western Asia and northeast Africa, Barley is used hugely across countries all around the world. How is it grown? With adequate care, barley is fairly simple to grow (in the right climate that is). Barley comes in two different flower types, used for different reasons. Six-Row Barley Six-row barley has three spikes on each notch that contain little florets that eventually turn into kernels. This type contains a very high amount of protein, and is therefore used in lots of bulked animal feeds, and as livestock bedding. Two-Row Barley Two-row barley has flowers that grow in the middle. They produce kernels and adjacent florets that are normally germ-free. In contrast to the six-row type, it contains a higher sugar amount. This makes it more common for malting and awakening the ‘grain’ in the cereal plant. Wheat & Wholegrain Barley A common misconception barley faces, is that it contains wheat. Barley is its own whole grain that does not contain any wheat grain. It inclines to be used as a whole. Whereas wheat tends to be milled and added to ingredients such as flour, before it is used in cooking. Barley, however, is occasionally used as an alternative to wheat; in less developed countries that have the incorrect climate for growing wheat. Gluten Linking to the misconception of barley and wheat, the ingredient gluten, which is commonly linked to the wheat grain is found in the barley cereal. Even though it is found in small amounts, through a protein ingredient originating from the plant itself, barley is not suitable for those who are gluten-intolerant or live a gluten-free diet. This also means barley isn’t a suitable component for making flours, as a high amount of gluten is essential for the rising of doughs. Barley Health Benefits For those who do have a gluten-inclusive diet, you will be glad to know that barley is packed with lots of health and wellbeing benefits. Barley has a low glycaemic index which means it releases sugar slowly, which is easier and more beneficial for the body to undertake. It also has a higher amount of potassium and copper, and lower sodium, which is valuable to your working heart and nerves. Interestingly, barley contains selenium and manganese which is a great booster for your immune system, and helpful towards your metabolic rate. Another nutrient of barley is phosphorus. The high phosphorus levels help towards storing and using your energy for longer. Organic barley is particularly useful for these health benefits as it also provides antioxidants and inflammatory nutrients. Which, when you put together with all of these other ingredients, provides you with a great help towards your body as a whole. How Is Barley Used? Barley is a versatile plant used across the globe for different reasons. Barley flour Organic barley flour is unusual as it has a distinct sweet flavour to it. As an unleavened type of flour, barley flour is great for foods like porridges and flatbreads. However, many cultures will grind barley and wheat flour together to make breads that will rise. These simple recipes are wildly commended in many cultures across Africa. Whereas, in some parts of Asia, barley flour is used as an ingredient to make noodles. Barley Flakes Similar to how rolled oats are made, flaked barley is flattened and sliced and soaked before being sold. They are a softened form of the barley plant and work well in porridges, puddings, and breakfast cereals. Barley flakes can be used as an alternative to oats. In many ways it is a healthier option. Barley contains lots more fibre than oats and has plenty of vitamins and minerals included too. Pearl Barley Earlier on in the article, ‘kernels’ were mentioned. In pearl barley, whole kernels from the outer bran layer, that are first removed, polished and then slightly steamed, are used in a variety of meals. Risottos, salads, roasted vegetable assortments, and stews can be great recipes to trial pearl barley. Pearl barley is great to bulk up your meals, as it absorbs well into liquids. This helps you to get that satiated feeling when you’re eating, which can be great for cutting out cravings and the feeling to constantly snack. On top of that, it is a great product to help promote your cholesterol levels It is a great alternative to white rice as it contains double the amount of fibre and calcium than white rice does alone. Nevertheless, it’s also a great alternative because it contains an equivalent amount of protein and fat that rice does, therefore it could be a great switch if you’re feeling bored with just using rice in your meals.

For most families, breakfast is usually the most hectic meal of the day. There is very little time to prepare a solid meal in the morning. Everyone is in a rush before going to work and school, and sometimes it's just easier to forget about it completely. That's why a cereal bowl is often the perfect morning routine solution - it requires zero cooking or preparation. Is it healthy to eat cereals every day? It depends on what cereals you choose. The supermarket's go-to cereal brands are highly processed and packed with so much sugar that they are literally sugar bombs. So it is definitely not healthy if you eat the products every day. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy it in moderation, but be aware that it provides more than a daily dose of sugar and many empty calories. This kind of breakfast will give you a spike of energy for a short time, and by the time of lunch, you will be looking to eat a snack bar. How to make the cereal bowl healthier? The best solution would be to pick sugar-free cereals or whole grains, but some people claim healthy cereals taste like cardboard. If you really struggle to eat the no-sugar-added variety of cereals, mix it with sweet cereals. By adding 1 or 2 spoons of your favourite cereals to your healthy cereal, you will get the flavour you like without so many nasty calories. Just remember to watch your portion size. What healthy toppings can you use for a cereal bowl? Many whole-grain kinds of cereal are low-cal and nutritious, so it's important to look for additions that won't wreck an otherwise healthy breakfast. A few ingredients in your kitchen cupboard might be the key to spicing up your morning routine. How to add more fibre to your breakfast? It's easy to make your cereal bowl packed with fibre. Just add some pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, oats, chia seeds or nuts. Fruits are also a great healthy addition. Go for fruits that are packed with fibre and antioxidants, such as blueberries, raspberries, bananas and sliced apples. Adding nuts and seeds make your cereal bowl healthier Nuts like peanuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, and walnuts don't just add a tasty crunch to your cereal—they're also packed with protein, healthy fats and fibre. Nutritionists recommend getting a minimum of seven grams of protein in the morning to make you fuller for longer and this way, you won't feel hungry before lunch. Seeds will also add some crunch to your cereal and they are highly nutritious. They will also provide you with a dose of healthy fats. Adding spices will make your cereal bowl tastier The best spices to pair with any cereals are ground cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, cumin, and ginger. They will boost not only the flavour but also your breakfast's nutritional value. Spice have amazing anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Replace dairy with plant-based milk for more benefits Plant-based milk contains a lot less fat when compared to cow's milk (from 37% to 75% less fat). Most plant-based milks are also lower in calories. The only exception is traditional coconut milk. Soy milk contains as much protein as the cow's milk. Many of plant-based milks are fortified with extra vitamins and minerals. Today, it's easy to find your favourite milk replacement. You can choose from many varieties and flavours of non-dairy milk, including almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, rice milk, hemp, macadamia and cashew milk which are also available in unsweetened versions.

Whether you’re a master chef or a beginner, whole grains can initially seem intimidating when it comes to home cooking. However, in reality whole grains are surprisingly simple, and so versatile you’ll be using them, without thinking, in no time. To start with we’ll go through the most popular whole grains, how to prepare them and some basic recipe ideas. Quinoa, perfect for salads, soups and stews : Quinoa is a fluffy and light pseudo grain hailing from South America that makes for a perfect gluten free alternative to couscous or a healthier alternative to rice. Quinoa is prepared in a fairly similar way to rice, if anything it is even easier, as you don’t necessarily need to worry too much about adding water or salt. Much like rice, the ratio of quinoa to water you choose to use will affect its texture, so you can tailor it for whatever a particular dish requires. If you choose to add more water, your quinoa will have an almost mushy texture, and if you choose to add less water you’ll have a drier final result. How to prepare quinoa: 1. Combine one cup of quinoa with one cup of water (this will provide the fluffiest final result) in a pan or rice cooker. 2. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. 3. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa rest for 10 minutes. 4. Once the quinoa looks translucent, fluff it with a fork and serve! Quinoa can be quite bland on its own, as it only has a subtle nutty flavour so it is always best to serve it either with a flavourful dish, or use a strong dressing to really make the most of it. We recommend this delicious pistachio and quinoa salad as a starting point. Oats, great for baking into sweet treats or making the perfect healthy breakfast: Oats are one of the most versatile whole grains you can have in your pantry, but they are actually also one of the simplest to cook with. Porridge is perhaps one of the most typical uses of oats, and there are countless recipes for great healthy versions of it (we recommend this one) but there are a few things to avoid when making porridge. Pitfalls to avoid when making porridge: ● Use the correct water to milk ratio - you can easily make your porridge thicker or thinner by adding more or less milk, but it is important to balance the two to avoid making either a soupy mess or a chunky disaster. ● Keep the porridge on a medium heat - avoid going any higher otherwise you’ll run the risk of burning the oats and ruining your pan! ● Make sure to spice it up - adding spices like cinnamon and nutmeg is an amazing way to make your breakfast more flavourful without ruining its health benefits and avoiding making a bland final result. Overnight oats are another delicious and healthy way to start the day, and although they need more time to prepare they are just as simple, we recommend adding berries and almonds for an even better final result. As mentioned above, oats are also a great ingredient in baking, and they can really help to add both texture and flavour to pretty much any baked dish, so don’t be afraid to experiment! For a sweet (but healthy) treat we recommend these buckwheat flour banana muffins with oats. Brown vs wild rice - superstar carbohydrates: Brown rice and wild rice are both incredibly healthy carbohydrates, despite their names they are actually very different, in flavour, texture and preparation. Wild rice is typically longer and skinnier than brown rice, and most importantly, much chewier. This makes wild rice more appropriate for dishes where you really want to bulk out the texture while also keeping it healthy. Brown rice on the other hand is a lot lighter by comparison, so it is less likely to dominate the meal and won’t alter the texture too drastically. How to prepare wild rice As wild rice is technically a grass rather than a rice it requires a significantly longer cooking time, so it's best to keep this in mind when cooking with it. 1. Rinse the wild rice thoroughly to remove any excess starch and avoid a sludgy final result. 2. Using a ratio of around 3.5 cups of boiling water to every 1 cup of wild rice combine the two in a pan. 3. Bring the rice back down to a simmer for around 50 minutes or until all of the grains have popped 4. Take the rice off of the heat and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes 5. Fork through the grains with a knob of butter and serve! While wild rice does have a stronger flavour and more dominant texture than brown rice it is still best to serve it with something flavourful. How to prepare brown rice: Brown rice is a lot more simple, but the cooking times do vary based on the length of grain, so it’s always best to check the packet if you’re unsure. 1. Rinse the rice thoroughly to remove any excess starch (as you would with wild rice). 2. Using a ratio of 2:1 water to rice, combine the two with a pinch of salt in a large pan (although this ratio can be tailored to the specific dish you’re making). 3. Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for thirty minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the rice to stand for ten minutes. 5. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve! Why not get started cooking whole grains now: Hopefully by following these tips and suggestions the prospect of incorporating whole grains into your home cooking seems less daunting. By cooking and eating healthily you’re bound to notice the difference in no time, and soon you’ll be reaching for whole grains without a second thought. If you’re ever stumped you can always check our recipe page for even more advice!