I had some mishaps in cooking this. I burned my fingers on the oven door, burned the pecans, and then spilled them all over the carpet. Still, it really hit the spot tonight, and barley makes you feel so full! I ate it as a main dish, since it has plenty of protein, but it could serve as a side dish in a low-protein meal.
2 1/4 c. water
3/4 c. barley (I used pearled, but unpearled is more nutritious. Cooking directions are for pearled barley.)
3 oz. feta, crumbled
1/4 c. (or however much you want) dried cranberries
1/3 c. (or however much you want) pecans, chopped
2-4 green onions, chopped
1. Put water and barley in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 25 minutes until barley is tender and most of the water is absorbed. Remove pan from heat, uncover, and let cool for a couple of hours. When barley is cool, drain remaining water and place in large bowl.
2. Toast chopped pecans in a 350 degree oven for 3-5 minutes or until fragrant, stirring every minute. Watch them closely, because they burn easily.
3. Skip this step if you like your green onions raw. I don't, so I put them in the oven for a couple of minutes after I had taken the pecans out.
4. Add feta, cranberries, and green onions to the bowl of barley. Stir. Add pecans right before serving.
Note: If you think you'll have leftovers, put the nuts in a separate bowl and add them at the table. They lose their flavor when stored as part of the salad.
Further note: This salad might need a little more flavoring. I debated adding sesame oil, but my stomach was feeling queasy and I decided to keep it plain. Comment if you have any other ideas!
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