The Italian Way

Italians usually have an espresso or a cappuccino with a croissant for breakfast. Not really very healthy, but nowadays things are changing. Their breakfast is more consistent and varied. 

Today's breakfast consists of Tarallucci cookies, Orzoro, which is a barley drink, similar to coffee but without caffeine, a banana and cottage cheese with wholewheat crackers. You can spot a real espresso of course. Breakfast isn't breakfast without a cup of coffee. 

Barley Water .... a cure for everything

Barley water is a natural remedy for just about everything. As far back as Anciente Rome, it was known to have beneficial effects for stomach ailments as well as for detoxification. 

Mix 1/2 cup of pearl barley with 9 cups of water, boil then simmer for about 2 hours. Strain the liquid, which should be rather thick, and use the barley for vegetable soups or to replace rice. You can actually mix the barley with cooked rice, to make a more nutritious side-dish.

ORZORO is a popular Italian drink made from roasted barley. It tastes and looks like coffee but without the caffeine.

MUGI-CHA is a famous Japanese drink made of roasted barley, but it's more like a tea, again it also has no caffeine.