Barley Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Zucchini and Fresh Feta

This is what we had for dinner last night. Beyond being healthy it was also delicious! I have made this once before in honor of a girl date with the lovely Meredith Hines and Meredith Gray. And let me just say, second time around? Just as yummy! One of the reasons I love this salad is that it's super hardy so it makes a great lunch or dinner but it also has light flavors like lemon zest and fresh veggies (you add the veggies towards the end of the cooking process so they're still fairly crisp). I actually adapted the recipe a bit and added extra ground black pepper for bite and lemon zest/juice for a bright citrus punch.

Furthermore, this dish is great for lowing cholesterol and is extremely high in fiber. There's hardly any saturated fat which would be due to the modest amount of feta cheese. Since feta is such a strong flavor you need very little to feel indulged in creamy cheesy goodness. I would be happy to share the recipe with anyone just shoot me an email. This is actually a side dish but instead I served Doan and myself two servings to make a full meal (apx. 350 cals/ 2 cups of salad each) and sliced apples on the side. It was a great way to enjoy the fall's bounty while still being healthy.