Mediterranean Salad

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Serves: 2

If you are looking for an easy and delicious meal for lunch or dinner than this Mediterranean Salad would be a great choice. Packed full of goodness and flavour and a real healthy and filling dish it is! I added some lovely Vegan Halloushmi from sophiesdelight.co.uk and served with some fresh seeded sourdough bread.

Ingredients:

• 150g Pearl Barley
• 2 Spring Onions
• 25g Pistachios
• Handful of Black Olives
• A few Sundried Tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp of chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1 Tbsp of chopped Fresh Mint
• 2 Tbsp of Pomegranate
• Olive Oil
• Pomegranate Molasses
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp of Oregano
• Halloushmi or other vegan Halloumi alternative (optional)
• Fresh Bread

Method:

Tips:

1. Tip the Pearl barley into a saucepan and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil then simmer on a low heat for around 45 minutes until soft but still with a bit of a bite to it.
2. Whilst that is cooking chop the spring onion, olives and sundried tomatoes and place in a large bowl.
3. Add the chopped herbs to the dish and mix
4. When the pearl barley is cooked, drain any excess water and add to the other ingredients and gently stir.
5. Add a teaspoon of oregano, the pomegranate molasses and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Drizzle some olive oil and pomegranate molasses and combine.
7. Divide into bowls and top with Halloushmi if using and enjoy with some slices of fresh bread of your choice.

This recipe is very adaptable to what you have in your cupboard at the time. I have also made it substituting the pearl barley for large cous cous or quinoa. I personally prefer the nuttiness of the pearl barley but all work well. Try adding other ingredients too such as Pumpkin Seeds, Raisins, Cranberries, Sunflower Seeds, Sweetcorn, Peas, Edamame Beans or toasted Walnuts and swap the cheese for some griddled asparagus on top. The options are endless…….