Herbed Barley Salad

Just Call Me Martha's Note:

This healthy barley-based salad is great to have on hand - especially for those on Phase 2 of the South Beach diet!

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

Salad

• 3 cups water
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 6 green onions, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped radish
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Dressing

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine water, garlic and barley in a large pot.
2. Bring to boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until barley is tender.
3. Drain excess water.
4. To make dressing, combine mustard, garlic and vinegar.
5. Whisk together, then slowly whisk in olive oil.
6. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
7. Combine half of dressing with warm barley.
8. Stir in vegetables and herbs.
9. Toss with remaining dressing.
10. Season to taste.

Reviews

[**Tinkerbell**]

I personally really enjoyed this salad. However, the rest of my family did not. DH didn't like the flavor of either the vinegar or an herb & DS (16) didn't like that it was a warm salad. I didn't have radishes & used red & green pepper instead of yellow but I still loved all the fresh herbs & the dressing was really flavorful for such a simple combination. I'm a barley lover & can eat it any which way so I could see myself making this again in the future, but it would just be enough for myself. :) Thanks for sharing, Martha! Made for Zaar Chef Alphabet tag game.

[DonnaH in Houston, TX]

Loved it! The whole family ate it. Although I think maybe I overcooked the barley a little, it was a little slimy.

[Pepita]

This was a great salad. I made it without the garlic and chives to make the "herbiness" a little more subtle (matter of personal preference) and added lemon juice to the dressing. The radishes are a great addition. Next time I make this I think I might use less oil (maybe half), though, as I found this a bit on the oily side. (Other people didn't, though, so maybe it's just another matter of taste). I used this as a side dish for three people and it lasted a whole week - next time I think I'll make a bit less!