Healthy Kale Barley Mushroom Casserole

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Pearl barley is the starting point for this healthy casserole recipe. It's loaded with nutrients and fills you up without filling you out.

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While the barley cooks, brown the mushrooms in a skillet and season with garlic and fresh thyme. 

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Sauté the onions and wilt the fresh kale leaves in the same skillet.

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Make a roux with butter and flour, then add salt, pepper and fresh nutmeg. This is the starting point for the cheese sauce. 

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Use vegetable broth and grated gruyere cheese to make the silky sauce for the barley and mushroom casserole. 

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Add the cooked barley to the cheese sauce and stir well to combine. 

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Stir in the sautéed mushrooms and wilted kale. Doesn't that look good?!

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You could eat it just like this, but for extra texture, we like to bake the mushroom barley casserole with a breadcrumb topping. 

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It's cheesy and rich, but healthier than you might think because of the ancient grains and nutrient dense kale and mushrooms. 

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This casserole makes a great vegetarian main course or side dish. 

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