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Barley Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a Cajun dish containing tomatoes and the trio of celery, onion, and bell pepper. This take on the classic dish uses barley in place of rice, adding fiber and magnesium to the dish. Cayenne pepper adds a kick of spice that will transport you to the American South where this dish originated!

Ingredients

1 cup barley
4 cups water
2 bay leaves (whole)
2 onion (medium, diced)
2 celery stalks (small, diced)
1 cup bell pepper (red, yellow or orange, diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon canola oil
6 ounces ground turkey
2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce each, no salt added)
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 1⁄2 teaspoons oregano (dried)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Yield amount

6 servings

Preparation time

25 minutes

Cooking time

1 hour, 30 minutes

Total time

1 hour, 55 minutes

Instructions

  1. Wash hands and then rinse vegetables before getting started.
  2. Rinse and drain the barley under cool water.
  3. In a medium pot, bring 4 cups of water, bay leaves, and barley to a boil.
    Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45–60 minutes until the barley is tender and most of the water is absorbed.
  4. Drain the barley in a colander and set aside.
  5. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
  6. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5–10 minutes.
  7. Add the ground turkey. Cook for about 5–7 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  8. Stir in the diced tomatoes (with juices). Bring the mixture to a simmer.
  9. Add the salt, cayenne pepper, oregano, and black pepper. Stir well, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
  10. Add the cooked barley and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
    Cook over low heat for another 5–10 minutes to blend the flavors.
  11. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Notes

You can prepare the barley up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it until ready to prepare this recipe to reduce total cooking time.

Substitute a low sodium broth for cooking water to add more flavor!

Creating a vegetarian version is easy by substituting ground turkey with drained firm tofu.

Prefer seafood in your jambalaya? You can add seafood like shrimp to Step 7. Just be sure to adjust cooking time.

Add more water to create a more liquid-y dish or serve it thick.

Equipment you’ll need:

  • Colander
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Large pot with lid
  • Medium pot with lid
  • Can opener
  • Mixing spoon
  • Food thermometer (optional)

Source

Adapted from https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/myplate-cnpp/barley-jambalaya

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