Kelly Rossiter
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I've been adding more whole grains to our diet lately and I'm frankly surprised at how much I am enjoying it. My mother always put barley into her vegetable soup, so I grew up enjoying that chewy texture, but it was pretty much the only way I ever ate it. We didn't have anything like buckwheat, or millet, or wheatberries and I always thought they would be pretty tasteless, in that hippy, brown rice kind of stereotype way. A lot of of these whole grains have been a revelation for me, especially quinoa.
I have a blog friend, Elaine who is a Registered Dietician in Vancouver. She posted this recipe for Bean and Barley Salad a while back and I've been meaning to make it ever since. I love legumes and this recipe seemed like a great way to pump up the nutritional value with the addition of barley. If you want you can use whole or "hulled" barley which is less refined, but it will take longer to cook. I left the white kidney beans out because I was making it for 2 people, but you could add any kind of beans you like. I served it on a bed of arugula, which gave it a nice bit of bitter taste.
This would be a terrific dish to take to a potluck dinner. It's easy to make and easy on the pocketbook, it's vegetarian, it's really healthy and it tastes fantastic. Happily, I had some leftovers, so I'm looking forward to having it for lunch.
Bean and Barley Salad
1/2 cup (125 mL) pearl barley
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) chick peas
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) red kidney beans
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) white kidney beans
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped green onions
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh coriander or parsley
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
Dressing:
1/3 cup (75 mL) red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
1/2 cup (125 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- In saucepan of 12 cups (3 L) boiling water, cook barley over medium-high heat for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender but firm; drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again and place in a serving bowl.
- Drain and rinse chick peas, and red and white kidney beans; drain well and add to bowl. Add onions, coriander (or parsley) and jalapeno peppers.
- Dressing: In small bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin; gradually whisk in oil. Toss gently with bean mixture.
Salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to one day. Serve at room temperature.
Difficulty Level: Easy
From Greens and Berries.
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Soup of the Week: Mushroom Barley Soup
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