A beautiful Christmas side dish that is as tasty as it is pretty! This barley and pomegranate salad is so easy to whip up, it can me made ahead and stored in the fridge for a day or two. It also has a beautiful orange vinaigrette dressing.

This salad is also lactose free, vegetarian and vegan. Which makes perfect for any guests with special dietary requirements or if you’re meeting new partners and don’t know what they eat!

Barley and Pomegranate Salad

Ingredients

Serves 4
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
Juice of 1/2 a large orange
1 tbspn white wine vinegar
1 tbspn extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tspn wholegrain mustard
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 pomegranate, seeded
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup hazelnuts, roughly halved

How to

1. Add the barley to a large saucepan and add 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes or until just cooked through. Drains and rinse well to cool before using. Barley has a nutty flavour and chewy texture so only cook until it is al dente and holds its shape.

2. While the barley cooks, mix together the orange juice, olive oil and mustard. Lightly season with salt and pepper, mix well and refrigerate until needed.

3. Mix the cooked barley in a large salad bowl with the parsley, pomegranate and dried cranberries.

4. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the hazelnuts. Keep them moving around by tossing the pan until they are lightly toasted.

4. Pour over the salad dressing and mix well. Too with the toasted hazelnuts just before serving.

Sarah Moore is a mum, and university qualified Registered Nutritionist with a decade of experience working with families to improve their health and well-being. Sarah has a simplistic and practical approach to family nutrition and can help the overwhelm of eating and living well with private consultations, email Q&A and her school lunchbox ebook. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram for more healthy tips and tricks.