Pearled Barley
Summer is here. The days are longer. It seems as though I can get more done in a day. But once the day is done and I am sitting in my kitchen with a glass of wine, I still need something to eat. And with the arrival of summer comes the need to get ready for bikini season. So needing to eat a bit lighter becomes a higher priority. Sure I could skip the wine, but who in their right mind would do that?? Wine is full of anti-oxidants. It truly is “vitamins in a glass.” So let’s lighten up dinner.
This next recipe came from my failure to prepare (this theme will reoccur often). You see, I usually plan our menus out on a weekly basis and shop for all the ingredients on Sunday. Then I am ready to cook dinners all week long. However, sometimes I forget or miscount the days or just don’t feel like planning or can’t think of something awesome and delicious to make every single night. A man can only do so much. And while I can get a vegan pizza delivered to my home, too much pizza makes me puffy.
Last night, after taking the kids to karate / ballet / etc. / etc. / etc. I realized I had nothing planned on my weekly menu. It was too late to run to the store and we have had enough pizza. So, I had to rely on my super great, magical chef skills. Dinner turned out to be quite delicious. I combined some pantry items with some left over salad ingredients in the crisper.
And voila, I give you my version of the “BARLEY POWER SALAD.” Yes, I said SALAD. Please don’t confuse this with an 80’s power ballad. However, while you are scrolling down through the recipe, feel free to hum or sing out loud that great anthem from Patrick Swayze … “She’s like the wind through my tree”
Because this salad rocks and “No one puts Baby in a corner!”
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Pearled Barley
- ½ Cup Quinoa
- 3 Cups Vegetable Broth (divided use)
- 1 Large Tomato (chopped)
- 1 Med. Red Bell Pepper (chopped)
- 1 Med. Yellow Bell Pepper (chopped)
- 1 Med. Cucumber (chopped)
- 1 15oz. Can of Hearts of Palm
- 1 15oz. Can of Artichoke Hearts
- 2 Cups Arugula
- ½ Cup Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Sherry Vinegar (red wine vinegar works too)
- 1 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
- ½ Tbs. Agave Syrup
- 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 Tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 Tsp. Dried Thyme
- 1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
First you will need to cook your barley and quinoa per the directions on the package. I used just plain vegetable broth to cook mine for a touch of added flavor. Allow the grains to cool before assembling the salad or your arugula will wilt on you…and who wants that?? (you can spread out the barley and quinoa on a cookie sheet to help cool them off)
Mix together your tomatoes, peppers, hearts of palm, arugula and grains in a large mixing bowl. At this point, feel free to dump some other crisper items in the salad. Got carrots? Add them in. Got some cucumbers? Add them in. Got some celeries? Add them in. Anybody can jump in the pool at this point.
Once you are done adding the roughage and cleaning out your frig, in another bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, agave, garlic powder, thyme, and oregano. Season to your taste with salt and pepper. Also, you can adjust the tang of your dressing by adding more or less vinegar and oil. For me, I like two parts oil to one part vinegar. This ratio usually ensures a good zing in your dressing. But feel free to adjust to your tastes. Pour this dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Garnish with the hulled hemp seeds. Now you can eat this immediately, but I like to let mine sit in the frig for about 30 minutes. The flavors just seem to meld a bit better once you let it chill.
https://www.grassfedcarnivore.com/pearled-barley-salad/So now “Baby” is out of the corner. Your family is ready and waiting for another amazing carnilicious creation. And as you put dinner on the table, you “Can Have The Time of Your Life…” Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
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