Bacony Barley Salad with Marinated Shrimp

By CarolineNGa

Here's a great example of how to cook a healthy dish in minutes - simply cook the bacon in the same pan as the barley to enrich the flavor, add some purchased cooked shrimp, a few aromatic vegetables, and you've got dinner (or a hearty potluck dish) in no time flat.

Ingredients

• 3 strips bacon, chopped
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup quick-cooking barley
• 1 pound peeled cooked shrimp, (21-25 per pound; thawed if frozen), tails removed, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced

Preparation

Step 1

Cook bacon in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towel; discard fat.

Add water and salt to the pan and bring to a boil. Add barley and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes.

Combine shrimp and lime juice in a large bowl. Add the cooked barley; toss to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the barley to absorb some of the lime juice. Add tomatoes, onion, cilantro and the bacon; toss to coat. Add oil and pepper and toss again. Stir in avocado and serve.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 393 calories; 19 g fat ( 3 g sat , 11 g mono ); 235 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; 35 g protein; 7 g fiber; 752 mg sodium; 859 mg potassium.