Vegetable Barley

Today, during a trip into Boston with my Dad, I saw a sign that made me pull over:
"Live Poultry, Fresh Killed".  It was Mayflower Poultry in Cambridge, MA.

I went in to check it out and came out with a whole organic chicken - killed and plucked on the property...and I asked them to remove the head and feet.  I still don't know what to do with those parts, and although my Italian mother probably could have helped...I am not quite there yet.

So, along with the chicken, which is just lightly dusted with olive oil and sprinkled with cumin and a little fresh mint garnish, I am cooking Vegetable Barley and throwing together a salad - yum!

Vegetable Barley

Ingredients:
1-2T olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 3/4c pearled barley
1 clove of garlic, minced
dried thyme (about 1t or to taste)
4c low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2c sundried tomatoes (not packed in any oil or water), chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
2 zucchini, diced
1c sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
*Heat oil in heavy pan
*Add onion and saute 5 minutes or until tender
*Add barley, garlic and thyme - stir for one minute
*Add broth, stir, and bring to a simmer over low heat, covered, for 45 minutes
*Meanwhile, saute vegetables in a separate pan lightly oiled for 5 minutes, or until tender
*When barley is ready, fluff, and stir in vegetables
*season as you'd like, and enjoy!

This is a great dish for cleaning out your veggies before they go bad!!!  Use anything you have on hand!