Asparagus and Barley Pilaf

April 13, 2012
Are you one of those people that loooooves cuddling?
Yech! Seriously? You know there is always one cuddler that falls asleep first and then the other person is left awake with the other cuddler breathing on their face. Nothing about that says cute or romance to me.

I like to cuddle, to a point. I need space when I sleep. I am kind of claustrophobic so the last thing I need is a dog pressing in to one side of me and my husband’s arm thrown across my body on the other side.
I know I sound heartless and unromantic, and maybe I am. But, last night, our heat was acting up. It was 60 degrees in our house. We kept fiddling with the thermostat, but the heat just wouldn’t stay on. What could we do? It was eleven o’clock at night.
So, with no other choice, we cuddled. I, Mike, and our dog Weezer huddled together under a down comforter, two fleece blankets, and a sheet. I have to admit it was kind of nice. Yes, we were cuddling to survive. But aside from that, it was comforting.
Don’t tell Mike I said that.  He’ll want to cuddle all the time…

But more importantly, how am I going to draw a parallel between barley and asparagus pilaf and cuddling you may ask? Good question. Well, a lot of people consider vegetables awesome where as other people think of vegetables as gross but necessary. So for those of you that find veggies like asparagus totally disgusting and not necessary, give it a try. You might not only like them, but you might need all those valuable cuddly nutrients to survive. (See what I did there? Nice right?)
Ingredients (Serves 4 as a side dish)
½ Cup Pearl Barley
1 1/3 Cup Vegetable Stock or Water
8-10 Spears of Asparagus
8-10 Spears of White Asparagus
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
½ Cup Shelled Pistachios
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Fresh Tarragon, chopped
Pinch of Salt and Pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Add the pearl barley and water/stock to a small pot. Bring to a simmer over medium/low heat. Cook barley for thirty minutes until all the liquid has cooked out and barley is light and fluffy.

Prepare the asparagus for roasting by removing the thick, chewy end of the spear. Hold the end of the spear in one hand and the middle section of the spear in the other. Bend the spear. The tough part of the spear will crack off. Continue that process for all the spears.
Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, and coat asparagus in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.

When the barley is fully cooked, remove it from heat. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the barley with the lemon juice. While the barley is cooling and the asparagus is finishing roasting, toast the pistachios in a small pan over medium heat until they become fragrant. Give the pistachios and tarragon a rough chop then add them to the bowl with the barley.

When the asparagus is done roasting, remove from oven and chop into one inch pieces. Add the asparagus to the bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper and mix with a spoon. Serve as a side to a nice chicken breast or enjoy as a nutritious vegan/vegetarian meal.

You Might Also Like

  • Sadye
    November 6, 2013 at 3:08 pm

    A tasty, easy and just-slightly-different side dish!

  • Crispy and Spicy Roasted Broccoli + Other Holiday Sides
    December 21, 2012 at 8:01 am

    […] for something other than potatoes? Try this asparagus and barley pilaf. It is nutty, creamy, and filling. Your vegetarians will thank […]

  • Glenn
    April 13, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    Seriously, the top of this post is the funniest thing I have read in a while! Of course, having 3 teenage boys in the house, I can tell you that I don’t need romantic interference from pets. Dogs in the bedroom , really I know people do this, really, just don’t. That’s why we have a guinea pig. I never allow him in the bed to cuddle! HA HA .

    I usually roast my asper at 425. Love the blog. Gm

  • Anita at Hungry Couple
    April 13, 2012 at 9:02 am

    Ha. If you’re claustrophobic you’d have a hard time around here in a queen sized bed, a 6’4″ man and a dog who insists on sleeping on top of us. I guess I’m used to it 🙂 And I love both barley and asparagus 🙂 The dish looks great.

  • LindseyJoy
    April 13, 2012 at 3:44 am

    Haha! 🙂 This post has me drooling & laughing. I am definitely the non-cuddler in our duo as well…and I would guess that most times the cuddle-lover is the one who falls asleep first. That’s probably why they love it so much. I’m always the one staring up at the ceiling with my arm falling asleep or a crink in my neck! 😉 Thanks for the giggle & can’t wait to get me some asparagus!

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    April 13, 2012 at 3:24 am

    Confession 1: I love cuddling. Although I know what you mean about the cuddling breath when the other person falls asleep. Awkward.

    Confession 2: I’ve never cooked with barley before. I’m guessing I really need to give it a try…I do love asparagus so I think this might be a good place to start!