Mediterranean barley salad. Super easy to make, super tasty to munch on and super healthy too when you think of the fact that 250 grams of salad is only 298 calories.

Jesus Christ, who am I? Who have I become? Where is all this calorie counting words coming from? Am I bipolar? Sick?

“Hey, relax! It’s coming from the other side of 30 where you have to start thinking of food beyond your eyes and tongue”

This blasted conscious I tell you is making me do things and I am loving this new found love for myself. Haha, currently, I love big salad bowls and I cannot lie!

Newness and Mediterranean Barley Salad

Welcome to a brand new chapter of Trumatter where we talk about thunder thighs, weight loss, food that tastes good {and do not count for the whole day’s meal}, little struggles and the larger good that it’s going to do to us. This is not about a fad diet or a particular method or a workout after my name. This has no such thing as Bullet-Tea and AK47 coffee {though I have heard it works good for Keto} and this is certainly not about Ketosis either. Rather, this is all about clean eating, moving those old muscles to work a sweat, a bit of self love in its truest form and a long term habit change that’ll make us better, stronger, fitter. For good. In short, this is in essence is all about a homemade Mediterranean Barley Salad!

And if I can feel like this, trust me, you can. I’d put that in caps if it helps in convincing you.

Because I will be documenting everything that I do to reduce 30 odd kilos {no, you will never understand if you see me I weight 86 kgs} to maintain a healthy BMI, I thought I might as well add a hashtag to it so everyone can find my journey under one roof in social. And ofcourse, in the fear of failing, I might just not give up this time and get that beach bod to strutt around in Ashvem in the tiniest bikini available. Haha, no, I am not saying you can’t do that if you are fat and I have done that {with a layer of sarong though} in Anjuna but I am giving myself a little push is all! Fat or thin, you are beautiful, as long as you are fit and your heart is healthy. Unfortunately for me, I have cholesterol! And its imperative that I lose weight and lighten up. My mom has parkinson and I worry that this is high time for me to move those muscles before they get permanently rusty.

#TeamTrueLove is where you’ll find me

So when I started putting out the weight stories, Pratishtha who runs a wonderful travel, lifestyle and food blog wrote to me with how she’d love to do this with me! And you know how a few words with like minded people can very quickly become a plan right? So here we are, losing it where it matters and on the way sharing food recipes, work outs, nutrition info and stuff we figure out ourselves in the hope that you might find it useful too! If you are doing it with us or if you are already in a place where you are trying to shed those kilos, do tag us so we can all be one happy community and lift each other up. Good plan?

Awesome! So let’s start this with a good, hearty Mediterranean barley salad.

Mediterranean barley salad recipe

This is what you’ll need to cook our Mediterranean barley salad. This serves one so you can easily double the quantity!

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth or just water is fine too. 1 cup pearl barley, cubed bell peppers, zuchini, shallots. A few leaves of basil or coriander- whichever you prefer, 1/2 cup cottage cheese {you can use feta, i didn’t have at home}, 4 pieces of sundried tomatoes, 2 big cloves of garlic, a handful of parsley and 1tbsp olive oil. Oregano flakes- 1/2 tsp

Process

In a mixture, blend sun dried tomatoes, olive oil and garlic. Keep aside.

In a sauce pan, boil broth and barley till barley is still slightly chewy, drain and spread it in a plate to cool.

Once barley is slightly cool, add dressing to barley and toss well. Next, add all cut veggies, basil and parsley and toss well. Season, add crumbled cottage cheese or feta cheese and sprinkle a bit of oregano.

Toss, mix and enjoy your Mediterranean barley salad!

Hope to see you on this journey with us, remember to look for #TeamTruLove

Off XO

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