Lunch: Lemony Barley Salad with Kale Pesto

Recipe by Jessica Koslow Kale does double duty here: Some of the leaves are pureed with lemon juice and olive oil for a phenomenal pesto, and some of them are torn into pieces that are stirred into the cooked barley at the end.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Barley, Kale, Lemon, Nuts

Health benefits of Lemony Barley Salad with Kale Pesto

Barley is about the best grain a woman with PCOS can eat. It is low in calories and has the lowest GI of all grains. Low-GI grains such as barley take much longer to digest and create a slow, steady rise in blood glucose and insulin levels. As mentioned before on Fertility Chef, low-GI foods reduce cravings. If possible, try and find hulled barley as it is the most nutrient dense of all types of barley. Kale is an excellent source of calcium, which has an important role in egg maturation and follicle development in the ovaries. Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form. Nuts are a natural source of Inositol, a derivative of Vitamin B (which is often prescribed in the form of supplements for women with PCOS). Inositol can effectively control the symptoms of PCOS by reducing insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity.

Ingredients

1 c. pearled barley
2 tbsp. pine nuts
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c. currants
1 tbsp. minced shallot
6 oz. kale
1 tbsp. lemon juice
kosher salt
2 tbsp. chopped preserved lemon

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, cook the barley in salted boiling water until al dente, 30 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the pine nuts over low heat, stirring, until lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the currants and shallot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the shallot is golden, about 3 minutes. Scrape into the barley and add the pine nuts.
In a food processor, pulse two-thirds of the kale with the lemon juice until chopped. With the machine on, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil until smooth. Season with salt. Scrape the pesto into the barley. Add the preserved lemon, if using, and the remaining kale leaves, season with salt and toss well. Serve. Find more healthy recipes on Delish!Best Salad RecipesVegetarian RecipesLow-Calorie Recipestable. addendum {width:630px; margin:0px; padding:0px;} table. addendum tr td {text-align:center; width:150px; padding-right:60px;} table. addendum tr td. last {text-align:center; width:150px; padding-right:0px;} More recipes like this Lemony Kale Salad Five-Spice Tofu with Barley and Kale Rigatoni with Lemony Kale-and-Pecorino Pesto Spaghetti with Kale Pesto and Meatballs Kale Pesto From: More FromRecipes Dessert Share Apple Cider Bubble-Up Bake Appetizers Share Potato Gratin Stacks Recipes Share Pickleback Shots in a Pickle Recipes Share 10 Foods That Make You Look 10 Years Older Dinner Share Sausage and Broccoli Ragu with Shells and Burrata Dinner Share Slow-Cooker Bolognese Recipes Share Insanely Easy Weeknight Dinners To Try This Week Dinner Share General Tso's Cauliflower With Rice Dinner Share Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Honey Dinner Share Jerk Chicken Tacos Meals & Cooking Recipes kale recipes healthy recipes barley recipes healthy side dishesGratifying Grains: 15 Hearty Barley Recipes 15 MyPlate-Inspired, Healthy Seafood Recipes At-Home Fish Fry: 15 Recipes to Make During Lent6 Things You Need to Eat for the Healthiest Hair EverBreak Out These Dinner Party Recipes When You Want to Impress20 Recipes for Cooking with Whole Grains More From Recipes NewsletterAbout UsPress RoomContact UsBestProductsCommunity GuidelinesAdvertise OnlineAbout Our AdsBeing GreenWhy Did I Get This Ad?A Part of Hearst Digital Media©2016 Hearst Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy PolicyYour California Privacy RightsTerms of UseSite Map var JS_BASE_TRANSLATIONS = {"locales":{"locale":"en_US","fallbackLocales":"en_US"},"en_US":{"translation":{"LANG_TYPE_TO_SEARCH":"Type to Search","LANG_PRESS_ENTER_TO_SEARCH":"Press enter to search","LANG_PRESS_ENTER_OR_SELECT_ONE_OF_THE_SUGGESTIONS_BELOW_TO_SEARCH":"Press enter or select one of the suggestions below to search","LANG_LOAD_MORE_STORIES":"Load more stories","LANG_LOADING_MORE_STORIES":"Loading more stories","LANG_JOIN_THE_CONVERSATION":"Join the Conversation!","LANG_SEE_THE_CONVERSATION":"See the Conversation!","LANG_HIDE_THE_CONVERSATION":"Hide the Conversation"}}};
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