Barley is a grain that I have not cooked with much, but I continuously see it mentioned on lists of healthy foods to try. Apparently this versatile powerhouse is a great source of niacin, fiber, selenium and manganese all of which help to protect against heart disease and cancer, making it the perfect substitute for basic brown rice. For the sake of convenience, I tried to find the quick cooking kind but naturally my grocery store did not carry it. The one bad thing about Barley? It takes forever to cook. But I really wanted to try this salad, so I figured the long 50 minute cooking time would be less painful on a Sunday evening.
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Mix first 3 ingredients together in a bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing with a little salt & pepper.
Salad
- 1 1/2 cups cooked barley, cooled (cook according to package directions and allow it to cool a bit)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- about a cup of roughly chopped basil
- about a cup chopped scallions
- 1 7 oz package feta cheese
Mix the cooked barley with all other ingredients and top with dressing. Serve at room temperature.
I decided Greek style salmon would go well with this. I simply sprinkled salmon fillets with Greek seasonings and roasted at 400 for about 12 minutes (I have a pre-made Greek seasoning spice mix, but you can create your own at home by mixing onion powder, garlic, oregano and a little mint).
This was a delicious and healthy Mediterranean meal that I will definitely make again. I had some leftover barley I did not put in the salad and with it's nutty flavor, I am planning to try it for breakfast with a little milk, brown sugar, honey and almonds. YUM!
Happy Eating!
