Healthy Eating

If you've been reading my blog all month, you'll notice that the recipes have been a little healthier lately.  With the exception of last week's teenager-produced chocolate cake (and how could I not have written about that?), this month's output has consisted of three soups and a vegetarian pot pie. And today I'll be rounding off January with roasted vegetables served on barley.

I hope that January kicks off a year of healthy eating in the Pollock house.  Although we do try to eat well, you wouldn't know it from the cornucopia of dessert recipes I post.  And my promise for 2012 is this: at least as many non-dessert recipes as sweets.

Let me leave you with this delicious and healthy recipe for Balsamic Roasted Vegetables and Barley.  This has everything that a healthy recipe should, including the most important thing: great flavour.  If you eat this, you won't feel like you're giving anything up.

Balsamic Roasted Vegetables and Barley

(adapted from Brick Kitchen)

For the roasted vegetables:

2 – 3  medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch thick half moons

1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 large red pepper, chopped

8 ounces button mushrooms, halved

For the dressing:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

For serving:

1 cup pearl barley

3 cups vegetable broth or water

handful of basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine broth and barley in a medium saucepan.  Cook according to package directions.  Drain any excess liquid, if necessary.

Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients in a large bowl.  Add vegetables to bowl and toss to coat.  Using a large slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a baking sheet, reserving remaining dressing.  Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.

Arrange vegetables and barley on plates and sprinkle with basil.  Serve with remaining dressing and feta.