Cheesy Vegan Broccoli & Barley with White Beans

Cheesy Cashew Red Pepper Sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small spring onion, small dice (about ¼ cup diced spring onion)
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1 roasted red pepper (from a jar is great!)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 ½ tablespoons light miso
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Tamari soy sauce
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup water
hot sauce, to taste

Broccoli, Barley & White Beans
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
4 cups chopped broccoli (small pieces)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 large spring onion, fine dice (about ½ cup diced spring onion)
clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup pearl barley
19-oz (591 ml) can white beans, drained and rinsed (2 ¼ cups cooked white beans)
5 cups vegetable stock
handful chopped parsley, dill, or chives, for serving

Make the cheesy cashew red pepper sauce. Heat the teaspoon of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the spring onions and garlic and cook until just starting to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the spring onions and garlic to an upright blender. To the blender add the cashews, roasted red pepper, nutritional yeast, miso, lemon juice, Dijon, tamari, smoked paprika, water, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Blend the mixture on high until smooth and creamy, about 2 full minutes. Set aside.

Start on the broccoli and barley. Set the pot back over medium heat. Pour in ½ tablespoon of olive oil and swirl it around. Add all the broccoli and stir. Season with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sauté until broccoli is bright green and just starting to get tender at the stems, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the broccoli and place it on a plate to the side. It will continue to cook a bit and that's okay! Return the pot to the heat.

Pour the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil in the pot and swirl it around. Add the spring onions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and dried thyme and sauté for another full minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add the barley and stir to coat in the oil and seasoning. Add the white beans stir again. Pour in all of the vegetable stock.

Cover and bring the barley and bean mixture up to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and place a lid on top, slightly askew. Check in on the pot here and there. It should take about 30 minutes for the barley to become tender (but still with a bit of chew) and for most of the stock to be absorbed.

Pour the cheesy cashew red pepper sauce into the pot of barley and stir to combine. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Let it simmer for a couple minutes, stirring constantly. Add the sautéed broccoli to the pot and stir. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and extra black pepper if you like.

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