Serves: 8 ( 144 Calories per serve – Approx 2 cups per serve)
Total calories per recipe: 1064
Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
INGREDIENTS

Light spray Coconut or olive oil – 10 calories
100g large onions – 27 calories
3 garlic cloves – 15 calories
440g chicken breast fillets (all skin & fat removed) – 462 calories
3 x 340g tins asparagus spears (drained) – 117 calories
200g grated carrot – 60 calories
4 Massel chicken stock cubes – 120 calories
220g can sliced mushroom in butter sauce – 70 calories
70g pearl barley – 223 calories
30g dried grated Parmesan cheese – 141 calories
100g Low Fat Ricotta – 34 calories
14 cups water
Freshly ground salt and pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon. Olive oil – 45 calories
1 1/2 teaspoons (5g) Guar gum (Xanthan gum) – 10 calories

METHOD

Dice onion or use frozen diced onion.
Finely dice chicken breasts and set aside. Grate carrot and place in heat proof bowl and add stock cubes.
Finely chop asparagus and add to carrots.
Boil 4 cups of water and add to grated carrot to dissolve the stock cubes.
Combine olive oil and Guar gum well in small bowl and set aside.
Lightly spray large saucepan with coconut or olive oil. Add garlic and onion and cook I minute.
Add chicken to onion mix and cook stirring until meat is sealed.
On medium heat add stock and carrot asparagus mixture to saucepan and stir.
Boil remaining 10 cups of water and pour into saucepan.
Add mushrooms, barley, Parmesan and ricotta and stir well.
Bring to the boil then lower the heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
Add oil and Guar gum mixture, slowly drizzling it into the mixture as you stir to thicken.
Cook for a further 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with fresh herbs if desired.