My latest favorite recipe.

Barley is a fairly new grain to me. I had it in soup about a year ago and I liked it so much that I tried to replicate the soup but I was left with a bunch of extra barley. That same barley sat around for a while until I sought out some alternative uses for it. Of course, it works great in soup. Or use it to replace rice. But in this recipe, it is the base of the most delicious salad ever! Serve it on a bed of lettuce with a side of grilled chicken and you have a very complete, healthy meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup barley
2 1/2 cups water
7 sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped basil
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese



Directions

Bring barley and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the barley is tender, but still slightly firm in the center, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool to room temperature in a bowl.
Puree the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a blender until smooth. Pour over the barley. Fold in the basil, and feta. Cover, and refrigerate until cold. Stir before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Here's what Jonny Bowden says about barley: "It's a type of whole grain that originated in Southeast Asia and Ethiopia and has been cultivated for more than 10,000 years. It's high in dietary fiber, but specifically in a beneficial type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan. Two studies have shown that beta-glucan can help control the appetite by increasing the feeling of fullness, and beta-glucan has also been shown to help lower cholesterol(about 12 percent reduction in one 2000 study)."