Opa!

Last month when I was in the ER, I had a stint of 6 night shifts in a row followed by 4 more day shifts.  All in all, I was working 13/16 days at the end of the month. So, I decided that I needed to prepare some food ahead of time to take with me to work.  No way was I going to want to cook after 12 hours of work overnight...not happening.  So, I loaded up on fresh veggies and made a summer veggie soup (which I'll tell you about later) and a Greek Barley Salad. 

YUM!  It turned out delicious!  I had seen a couple of versions on some other blogs and decided I should try my hand at it.  Originally, I had planned to add some balsamic vinegar to the salad, but when I tasted it there was no need for extra flavor...I suppose the olives brought some of the brine with them and flavored the whole thing on their own.  It was simple, easy and OH so yummy!  Just add some pita and even hummus and you are ready to take your taste buds on a trip to the Mediterranean! 

Greek Barley Salad
1 cup uncooked pearled barley, prepared as instructed on package
2 cucumbers,cubed
3-4 tomatoes,cubed
1/2 red onion, diced
1/3-1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1/3 cup feta cheese
Cavender's seasoning

Cook barley as instructed on package.  Meanwhile, cube cucumbers and tomatoes.  Dice onion.  Combine in a large mixing bowl.  When barley is ready, stir it into the prepared vegetables.  Season with Cavender's Greek seasoning.  Add olives and feta.  Enjoy!