Ingredients

2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, cored and finely diced, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fronds
1 cup pearl barley or short-grain brown rice
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 vegetable broth
1-1 1/2 cups water, divided
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cups frozen French-cut green beans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pitted oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Crush fennel seeds with the bottom of a saucepan.
2. Combine the fennel seeds, diced fennel, barley (or rice), carrot, shallot and garlic in the slow cooker. Add broth, 1 cup water and wine, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the barley (or rice) is tender, but pleasantly chewy, and the risotto is thick and creamy, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours on high or low.
3. Shortly before serving, cook green beans according to package instructions and drain.
4. Turn off the slow cooker. Stir the green beans, Parmesan, olives, lemon zest and pepper into the risotto. If it seems dry, heat the remaining 1/2 cup water and stir it into the risotto.
5. Serve sprinkled with the chopped fennel fronds.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information per 1-cup serving: 242 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein; 8 g fiber; 474 mg sodium; 330 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (35% daily value), Selenium (20% dv), Vitamin C (15% dv)