Move over oatmeal, there’s a new breakfast porridge in town! Say goodbye to mushy oats, and hello to chewy, hearty barley with this recipe for Barley Porridge with Date Caramel. It’s the perfect belly-filling breakfast for cold winter mornings.
Falling in January, Tu Bishvat is a reminder to pause and think about the health of our planet. Not only that, but it is the ultimate, underrated foodie celebration. Traditionally, we eat the “Seven Species” of Israel, including: dates, figs, olives, grapes, barley, wheat, and pomegranates. This Barley Porridge with Date Caramel celebrates these foods, but can be topped with your favorite, seasonal fruits no matter the season. Hearty barley takes some time to cook, so feel free to double, or triple the recipe and eat it throughout the week!
This recipe was featured in the November issue of the San Diego Jewish Journal. A local publication that I’ve recently started writing for. Check out the issue and past issues to get a feel for my modern twists on Jewish classics!
Want more Jewish inspired recipes? Check out my collection here
Barley Porridge with Date Caramel
Author: Micah Siva for San Diego Jewish Journal
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Porridge:
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup milk or plant based alternative
- ½ cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Date Caramel:
- ½ cup medjool dates, pitted
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 ½ tbsp almond butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Toppings:
- Fresh or dried figs
- Chopped almonds
- Pomegranate seeds
Preparation:
- Combine water, milk, barley, cinnamon, and sea salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and let cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the barley has softened and the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in vanilla.
- While the barley is cooking, combine the dates, water, coconut oil, almond butter, vanilla and sea salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.
- Serve with figs, almonds, and pomegranate, or other seasonal fruits.
- Enjoy!