Barley and pomegranate salad – A quick and versatile salad that can be eaten in many ways. Festive enough to bring to a holiday party as a side dish!
Before holiday baking and party season officially get under way, I for one need to eat a few salads.
Not only do I crave salads after a big day of feasting, but I also find them to be the best tool for maintaining a healthy weight during the holidays – without having to say no to foods I love.
The simpler and faster the salad, the better. Because who has time to make complicated things in between all the celebrating? Not me.
Which is why Barley Salad with Broccoli and Pomegranate kind of rules.
This quick-cooking salad is one of those dishes you can make a big batch of then eat over the course of a few days. Eat it as-is, place a scoop of it on a big bed of greens with a light vinaigrette, sprinkle it with nuts and crumbled cheese, or top it with a fried egg.
However you choose to enjoy this salad, you’ll love how you feel afterward: satisfied, yet light and energetic.
Need more salad ideas? Here are a few of my other favorites.
- 1 cup quick-cooking barley (I use Trader Joe's 10-minute barley)
- Juice of 1 lemon (~3 Tbsp)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- 1 9-oz package organic frozen broccoli florets, cooked until crisp-tender and drained
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1.5 cups Pomegranate arils
- Cook barley according to package directions (if using the Trader Joe's kind, I follow the "Simmer" instructions, but add ½ tsp salt and 1 Tbsp olive oil to the water). Fluff with a fork then let cool.
- Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, honey and a pinch of salt in the bottom of a large bowl.
- Roughly chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces and add to the bowl, along with the green onions and barley.
- Toss to coat all the ingredients, then gently fold in the pomegranate arils. Season with more salt & pepper as desired.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
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