4
Prep 45 mins
7 Smartpoints
Ingredients
3⁄4 teaspoon salt, divided
1⁄2 cup uncooked barley
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups butternut squash, peeled & diced
1 cup onion, chopped
1⁄2 cup sweet red pepper, diced
1 medium apple, peeled, cored, diced
1 1⁄2 teaspoons garlic, minced
3⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄3 cup fat-free chicken broth
Directions
- Bring 3 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of the
salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; add barley. Cover saucepan and
simmer barley until tender, about 30 to 35 minutes; drain.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet
over medium-high heat; add squash and cook, stirring often, until it's
starting to soften--about five minutes. Add the onion and red pepper
and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Stir in apple, garlic, thyme, black pepper and
remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, until apple is almost
tender, about 2 minutes; stir in broth, scraping bottom of skillet with a
wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Stir in cooked barley; toss
over low heat to mix and coat. Remove from heat and serve. Yields about 1
cup per serving.
*To make this vegetarian, use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.