Sweet Potato Barley Risotto

     This rainy dreary day made me feel like hiding away inside and breaking out the crock pot.  Since the weather has gotten nicer, I have forgotten about the crock pot.  Yesterday I was reading a book, lent to me by a friend, called The Essential Green You by Deidre Imus.  It had many suggestions and rationals for living a greener life, including eating organically and from local farmer's markets, using more natural personal care products, as well as cleaning products.  It was a quick and interesting read.  The book recommended a website, called localharvest.org, that lists local farmer's markets.  I plan to check some of them out this summer when my schedule opens up a bit. 
     The book also reminded me of some ingredients I haven't used in a while, including barley.  The book talked about all of the fiber that barley contains and how it can be used in place of Arborio rice in risottos. This morning I searched for some recipes because I thought I had a bag of barley in the pantry-which I didn't.  But my quest did turn up this recipe, which incorporated the crock pot, barley in a risotto, and sweet potatoes.  Score!

Sweet Potato Barley Risotto

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp rosemary
2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups pearled barley, rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Method
1. Heat oil in a medium skillet.  Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften.
2. Add rosemary and garlic.  Stir and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add barley and vegetable broth.  Bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in the crock pot.  Cover the potatoes with the barley mixture.
5. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
6. Before serving, stir in 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese.

The Taste Test
     Super simple!  The rosemary made the house smell delicious and a quick bite of the risotto was enough to let me know that this dish will be a hit.  The barley really plumped up as it absorbed the vegetable broth and all of it's flavor.