Fall Comfort Foods: Butternut Squash & Barley Bowl

Fall is upon us which means its time for hearty, warming comfort foods! I don't know about everyone on the west coast, but here in New England, when Fall roles around I go into full blown hibernation mode. I cook cozy dinners, live under my yellow blanket, and wear lots of scarves.

Here's a delicious dinner I came up with last week and it was just the heartiest, most satisfying fall meal. The best part? I made a HUGE batch and ate it for lunch throughout the week with a side of rotisserie chicken.

Butternut Squash & Barley Bowl

• 1 cup pearled barley
• 1 small butternut squash, halved length wise
• 1 head purple kale, deveined and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped sage
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup crumbled sheep's milk feta cheese
• 1/2 cup roasted salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Preheat oven to 400 F.  On a parchment lined baking sheet, place squash cut side down.  Bake for 45 minutes or until fork tender.

Meanwhile, bring 3 cups water to a boil, add barley and simmer until all of the water is absorbed.  When the squash is finished, peel off the skin, scoop out the seeds, and roughly cube (tip: its MUCH easier to peel and scoop out the seeds of a cooked squash).  Stir in with cooked barley, kale, parsley, sage, olive oil, and feta. Top with pepitas and enjoy (tip: only add pepitas when ready to serve to preserve the crunchiness). Salt and pepper to taste.

What is your favorite fall comfort food?