Lunch: Barley Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Walnuts Recipe | Myrecipes

Pearled barley is convenient and relatively quick-cooking; if you want to make this a whole-grain salad, you'll need to choose hulled barley, which takes about an hour to cook.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Barley, Chicken Breast, Nuts, Walnuts

Health and fertility benefits of Barley Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Walnuts Recipe | Myrecipes

Barley is about the best grain a woman with PCOS can eat. It is low in calories and has the lowest GI of all grains. Low-GI grains such as barley take much longer to digest and create a slow, steady rise in blood glucose and insulin levels. As mentioned before on Fertility Chef, low-GI foods reduce cravings. If possible, try and find hulled barley as it is the most nutrient dense of all types of barley. Skinless chicken breast is an excellent source of the protein, as its contains 21 grams of protein for every 100 grams of breast. Additionally, chicken contains ample amounts of vitamin B6, which serves a vital function in helping to reduce the stressors that cause PCOS. Vitamin B6 help keeps your hormones at balanced levels, which is very helpful for those seeking to stem the flow of excessive testosterone and androgen Nuts are a natural source of Inositol, a derivative of Vitamin B (which is often prescribed in the form of supplements for women with PCOS). Inositol can effectively control the symptoms of PCOS by reducing insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity. Walnuts are low on the glycemic index. What’s more, they also lower the glycemic index of other foods that you eat in conjunction with these nuts. Any kind of nuts provide a healthy source of fat and a great way to encourage PCOS weight loss.

Ingredients

2/3 cup pearled barley
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup seedless green and/or red grapes, halved
2 cups shredded boneless, skinless rotisserie chicken breast
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

Cook barley according to package directions. Rinse with cold water.
Combine oil and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add barley, grapes, chicken, and onions; toss well to combine. Add cheese; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with walnuts and thyme.

Add a review for Barley Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Walnuts Recipe | Myrecipes