Bacony Barley Salad with Marinated Shrimp

Bacony Barley Salad with Marinated Shrimp: 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 

Directions

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

2. 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. 

3. 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 Information

Per serving

Calories: 393

Carbohydrates: 3g

Fat: 19g

Saturated Fat: 3g

Monounsaturated Fat: 11g

Protein: 35g

Cholesterol: 235mg

Dietary Fiber: 7g

Potassium: 859mg

Sodium: 752mg

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (50% daily value), Fiber (29% dv), Iron (25% dv), Folate (15% dv). 

Cooking Time: I'd say less than 30 min if you get the quick cooking barley. If you get regular barley, add another 30 minutes. This is really good. My whole family loved it. I found it on Dr. Oz's website.