Butternut & Barley Pilaf

Winter squash contributes a rich, full flavor to a simple barley pilaf. Gremolata, an Italian mixture of parsley, lemon zest and garlic, gives the dish a lively finish. The pilaf is an excellent accompaniment to chicken and pork, but would stand on its own with the addition of Parmesan.

Makes 6 servings, 2/3 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash, (3/4-inch cubes) (see Tip)
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, water, barley and squash; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the barley and squash are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes. Add parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper; mix gently.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Per serving: 194 calories; 2g fat (g sat, 1g mono); 1mg cholesterol; 40g carbohydrates; 6g protein; 8g fiber; 149mg sodium; 457mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (180% daily value), Vitamin C (45% dv), Fiber (30% dv).
2 Carbohydrate Serving(s)
Exchanges: 2 starch,1 vegetable

Tip: To save time, use conveniently peeled and cubed butternut squash, available in many supermarkets in the fall and winter.

DISCLAIMERS
Scaling Disclaimer: EatingWell recipes are tested extensively in the EatingWell Test Kitchen. EatingWell cannot guarantee a recipe that has been scaled to make a different number of servings from the original. Also note that scaling only applies to the ingredient measurements: no adjustment is made to the recipe instructions, so pan sizes and cooking times and ingredient amounts referred to in the text of the recipe only apply to the original number of servings.