barley with fresh herbs & ginger lime dressing

Spring time is notoriously detox season right? Well, to add to your arsenal of delicious detox fare- I thought I’d share the magic of barley - a drying grain that helps to pull toxins and excess moisture out of the body as we enter out into the cool, damp springtime air.

To give this dish a little flavor and added heat- I’ve created a simple dressing that, trust me, packs a punch. Top it off with some fresh parsley to not only add a bit of bitterness to the grains- but will also go to work on cleansing those kidneys of yours.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup pearled barley

3 cups water

1/4 cup parsley, rinsed and chopped

1 tsp salt (if desired)

for dressing:

1/4 cup lime juice

2tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1 tbsp grated ginger

1/4 tsp salt

cracked pepper

DIRECTIONS

Combine the barley and water in a medium sized saucepan. Add salt if desired.

Bring the water and barley to a boil over high heat. Keep an eye on the pot as barley will give off a lot of foam at first and can cause the pot to boil over.

When the barley has reached a boil, lower the heat to a low simmer, cover, and continue to cook until the barley is done. Start checking at 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, start making the dressing. Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside.

Back to the barley - The barley is done when it has tripled in volume and is soft yet chewy. Add more water if the pan becomes dry before the barley has finished cooking; check every 5 minutes or so until desired chewiness is reached.

When the barley is done, if there is still a little water left in the pot, just leave the barley to sit for 10 minutes, covered, with a paper towel placed between the top of the pot and the lid. If there is a lot of water left, drain the barley in a strainer over the sink.

With a fork, fluff the barley to separate the grains. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and dress with ginger lime dressing as desired!

Enjoy!