Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley

This was the first time I had ever made barley. It was interesting but I think I will try it again. I did enjoy the flavors a lot. There seems to be some controversy over barley as a whole food, because it's process and hulled. I would buy whole barley if you can but it's really hard to find, it could also be called sprouted barley. It takes longer to cook, but it's whole :)

Recipe
1/2 C hulled barley
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
sprinkle of cayenne pepper
half a small eggplant, sliced thinly
half a zucchini, sliced thinly
quarter of a red onion, thinly sliced
5 or cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 large garlic clove, minced
handful of chopped parsley and mint
one green onion thinly sliced
freshly squeezed lemon juice
Cook the barley in 1 1/2 C water with the cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-40 minutes until all the water absorbed. Add the eggplant, zucchini, onion, and a bit of water. Mix well, place lid on and let the veggies cook. Make sure that there is enough water that it doesn't start sticking to the pan. 10 or so minutes should be enough. Remove from the heat and mix in the tomatoes, parsley, and mint. Stir for a while until the tomatoes are a bit wilty. Serve in a large, flat bowl with green onions on top and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Becky said something the other night to me that I had never known. The word "worship" is from the English word "worth-ship" meaning to ascribe worth, value and importance to a person or thing. So as we worship God we are giving Him worth and value. Wes and I spent a long time last night discussing this idea as well and how there are so many attributes of God. His character is so vast, His names so many: Lamb of God, the Great Shepherd, Father God, High Priest, King of Kings, I mean really it goes on forever. Sitting there with Wes, I'm like we could worship God non-stop He is so worthy! And really this is how we should live, in constant worship always giving Him value. The focus should always remain Him, who He is more so than what He has done for us. Those things deserve praise and rejoicing but He in all His glory is our center piece.

In Him,
<3 Dani