Barley and Kale Moroccan Salad with Pistachios

Oooo, the flavours in this one are like yum, yum, yum. Barley is one of my favourite grains, I just love the chewy texture it has, so I thought why not try it in a fresh and flavourful Moroccan salad!

If you’ve never cooked barley before, no worries, it’s just about as easy as can be. Just add it to a pot with water, boil and then simmer covered until soft and chewy. It usually takes about 30-40 minutes to cook. For a grain, barley is quite the nutritional superstar.

It’s a good source of selenium, copper, chromium, magnesium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, niacin and other important minerals and antioxidants,  plus it’s lower in calories than a lot of other grains, as well as higher in fibre. Did I mention it’s very inexpensive? Plant-power for the win!! Barley is actually an awesome grain to enjoy at breakfast, but more on that in another post!

Then there’s the kale. I won’t go in to the to the details of this nutritional powerhouse but it’s a good one, eat lots of it. We’ve also got some turmeric, nature’s medicinal superfood, healthy pistachios, antioxidant-rich red peppers and fresh parsley, health-promoting garlic and some sweet, plump raisins, just for fun!

PS. Pistachios aren’t cheap so feel free to sub them with pine nuts, chopped almonds or walnut pieces.

Barley and Kale Moroccan Salad

• Author: Deryn Macey
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4-6
• Category: Entree, Salad
• Cuisine: Vegan

★★★★★

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Ingredients

• 1 cup barley, uncooked
• 5 cups kale, de-stemmed and cut into small pieces
• 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup raw pistachio kernels, unsalted
• For the Dressing:
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp water
• salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Cook the barley according to instructions.
2. Add the kale, parsley and red pepper to a large bowl and mix well.
3. Add the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender and mix until smooth. Pour over the kale mixture, stirring until the kale is well coated.
4. Once the barley is cooked, drain any excess water and add to the rest of the ingredients.
5. Fold in the raisins and pistachios.
6. Enjoy!

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