If your January is a ‘Januworry’, this is just the recipe for you. Besides being a versatile, healthy recipe, high in fibre, combining barley/wildrice and lentils forms a complete protein and can thus be a high-protein but meat-free dish (helps saving money).
Pilaf is an alternative word for Pilau, which is a Middle Eastern or Indian dish of rice or sometimes wheat cooked in stock with spices to which one can add meats or vegetables.
INGREDIENTS
Pilaf:
½ cup pearl barley or wild rice
½ cup lentils
small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. garlic powder
large pinch of salt
1/3-cup raisins or dates (optional)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (toasted)
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup roughly chopped parsley/ cilantro
Dressing:
3 Tbsp. orange juice
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
RECIPE
- Preheat oven to 200⁰
- Cook lentils & barley in two separate pots. Barley taking typically 45-50 minutes. Lentils taking approximately 30 minutes. When al dente, drain and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cubed squash with olive oil, spices and a large pinch of salt. Spread in a layer on a baking sheet and roast for approximately 30-40 minutes until soft when pierced with a fork.
- Meanwhile whisk together the dressing ingredients and add to barley and lentils along with the raisins, pumpkin seeds and red onion. Toss well. Finally fold through the roasted butternut and parsley, transfer to a serving dish and scatter the remaining pumpkin seeds on top.
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