Barley & Kale Salad with Golden Beets & Feta
This recipe was recently published in bon appetit magazine… it looked (& tasted) so delicious and had so many good things in it, I had to pass it along! One of those salads you should prepare a day ahead so the flavors meld overnight and intensify in flavor. So loaded with yummy nutritious ingredients, you may feel and look a few years younger after a serving… click on the ingredients for an even more in-depth understanding of each components benefits.
* barley – controls blood sugar, lowers glucose levels, reduces blood pressure, as well as cholesterol
* beets – reduces blood pressure and boosts energy levels
* kale – high in beta-carotene (boosts immunity against diseases), full of potassium, folic acid and tons of vitamins
Chicken and Kale Casserole:
So Yummy That You’d Never know It’s Good for You.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; more for drizzling
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 bunch Tuscan kale (also called black kale, dinosaur kale, Lacinato kale), center ribs & stems removed, leaves cut into 1" squares
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 medium golden beets (about 1 bunch), trimmed (Whole Foods or Fairway)
1 1/4 cups pearl barely
4 oz feta, crumbled
2 tbsp (or more) unseasoned rice vinegar
Whisk 1/4 cup oil, white wine vinegar, sugar, and orange zest in a large bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper. Add kale and shallots; mix until kale is tender, at least 3 hours.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F. Arrange beets in a small baking dish and drizzle with a little oil. Season with salt and turn beets to coat. Cover with foil. Bake beets until tender when pierced with a thin knife, about 45 minutes. Let cool completely. Peel beets. Cut into 1/4″ pieces (you should have about 2 cups).
Cook barley in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 45 minutes. Drain barley and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet; let cool completely.
Add beets, barley, and feta to kale. Drizzle salad with remaining 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp rice vinegar; fold gently to combine. Season to taste with pepper and more rice vinegar, if desired. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
