Lemon Tarragon Barley Water

Take a break from regular water and make a batch of this instead. Even though the grains themselves are strained, the nutrients remain in the water—a very good thing, because barley has eight essential amino acids that help regulate blood sugar levels.
 

Serves 4   Prep Time 10 to 15 minutes  Cooking Time 30 minutes

1/4 cup pearl barley
2 sprigs fresh tarragon, plus extra for garnish
4 cups water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
lemon slices for garnish

1   Put barley, tarragon, and water in a heavy stockpot.

2   Bring to a boil and reduce mixture to half over medium heat.  

3   Strain into a pitcher.   

4   Add lemon juice and honey. Stir well.

5   Decorate with lemon slices and fresh tarragon floating in the water.

Photography by At Maculangan │ Styling by Jun Jun de Guzman, assisted by Liezl Yap