Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry pearl barley (sold near the dry beans in most grocery stores)
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cups grilled zucchini/ yellow squash, chopped
  • ½ cup tomatoes
  • 1.5 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp lemon zest
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 12 basil leaves, chopped

Directions

Lightly oil the grill rack with a paper-towel. Pre-heat the grill on medium-high heat (~450 degrees). Slice the raw zucchini and yellow squash into strips lengthwise of even thickness. Place the vegetables on the grill and allow grill marks to develop before turning (~5-7 minutes). Allow to cook another ~5minutes until tender and remove from the grill.
In a large saucepan bring water to a boil on high heat. Add the barley, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes (until tender and the liquid is absorbed, similar to rice). Drain and quickly rinse the barley under running water to cool it slightly. Shake off any excess water and transfer the barley to a large bowl.
Tip: Here is the most important thing to remember when you cook barley: don’t forget about it. It will stick to the bottom of the pan once the cooking liquid has been absorbed, burn and make you sad. Set a timer, and enjoy this healthy grain!
Cut the grilled vegetables into bite-size pieces and add to the barley. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and mix well. Add chopped tomato and basil, lightly stir. Garnish with additional basil. Allow salad to rest in the refrigerator for 1-12 hours to allow the flavors to fully develop. Serve cold.

Makes: 6 Servings
Serving Size: 1/2 Cup

Nutrition

Calories 90
Fat 1.6g
Saturated Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 195mg
Potassium 38mg
Carbohydrate 17g
Fiber 3.6g
Sugar 0g
Protein 2g

Modified from foodandwine.com