Pearl barley with spinach, peas, tomatoes and butternut squash
A filling and nutritious warm salad, packed with pearl barley, roasted veg and spinach.
This recipe is part of a budget student meal plan for one. It is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard .
Each serving provides 347kcal, 10.8g protein, 57.8g carbohydrate (of which 23g sugars), 5.1g fat (of which 0.8g saturates), 12.9g fibre and 1.97g salt.
Ingredients
- 250g/9oz pearl barley, rinsed and drained (or 1 grain pouch – see recipe tips)
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 40g/1½oz frozen peas
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ¼ onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or grated
- 1 portion leftover roast butternut squash (about 330g/11½oz uncooked squash, if cooking separately)
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú spinach
- 165²µ/5¾´Ç³ú cherry tomatoes, quartered
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- fresh basil leaves, to garnish
Method
Put the pearl barley and stock cube in a saucepan and pour in 750ml/1¼ pint boiling water from the kettle. Stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 35 minutes, until tender. When the barley is 3 minutes or so from being ready, add the peas to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook for 3 minutes, then drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Chop the squash into small bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Stir-fry until heated through. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add the barley mixture and season with salt and pepper.
Divide into two portions. If following the meal plan, keep one portion in a sealed container in the fridge to eat for tomorrow's lunch (see Recipe Tip). Serve garnished with fresh basil.
Recipe Tips
If you’re following the budget student meal plan, tomorrow’s lunch is leftovers of this recipe. Remove the portion of the chilled pearl barley from the fridge 1 hour before eating and eat at room temperature. Alternatively, heat in a microwave or saucepan until piping hot and then serve.
If you prefer, you can use a pouch of cooked grains instead of pearl barley (such as wholegrain rice, mixed wholegrain, wild & red rice or Spanish-style grains). This is more expensive but easier – especially if you are cooking the recipe outside of the meal plan.
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