Barley Bowl with Roasted Carrots and Snow Peas (Recipe #48)

I am not going to lie. When I first saw this recipe, I was a little worried about how well the flavors would go together and how filling it would be. This recipe for a barley bowl did turn out better than I expected, but I don’t think it is something that I would make again.

The dish was easy to get ready because there were only a handful of ingredients that needed to be prepped. While the barley was boiling, I was cutting carrots and snow peas. I sauteed them in a non-stick pan with a small amount of ground coriander (I do love coriander!). After the veggies were done, I threw some sunflower seeds in the pan and let them roast with some more spices--including coriander and cumin.

I really enjoyed the vegetables. I thought the carrots and the peas were cooked well together. The little bit of coriander added just the right amount of flavor to the vegetables. I would cook that mixture of vegetable again as a side dish. The barley was also cooked well and tasted okay with a lemon, mint, and oil dressing. I don’t think I liked the combination of the barley as the base and the vegetables sitting on top of it. I feel like the ingredients did not flow well together. The bowl tasted good and it was very filling, but it was just missing something. I am glad I tried this recipe, but I don’t know if I will be making it again.

Taste: 7/10

Level of difficulty: 1/5

Notes for next time: Maybe try a different grain.