I love experimenting with whole grains. One unsung grain that is fantastic on the side with lots of veggies and fruits added to make a salad is barley. It’s got a nutty, sweet flavor. Barley is high in protein, niacin, folic acid, thiamin, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Instead of white or brown rice, barley can be a good substitute in recipes as a way to increase the nutrient punch. Instead of arborio rice, you can substitute barley for a more fiber-filled risotto!
We ate this salad warm, right after I made it. For leftovers, I just took the chill off by popping it in the microwave for a few seconds. For any vegetarians out there, this is a great entree if you take the proscuitto out. For any gluten-free folks, just use quinoa or brown rice instead.
- 3/4 cup of uncooked barley
- 1 cup frozen or fresh corn
- 1/4 pound of sliced proscuitto, torn or cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, diced (soak in ice water if you want to take the edge off)
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 squirt of honey from the honey bear (sorry, I didn’t measure!)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 carrots, diced
- 4 scallions, sliced
- 2 apples (your favorite) diced into 1/2 inch cubes
Cook barley as directed on the package in a large saucepan or pot. Add the corn in the last couple of minutes. Drain and place in a big bowl.
Add the oil to the cooking pan/pot and saute the onion and proscuitto for just a couple of minutes. Mix the mustard, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper in a measuring cup. Add to the pan. Cook for another couple of minutes
Add everything from the pan into the bowl of barley and corn. Add carrots, scallions and apples. Toss together and serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes about 4 – 6 servings depending on whether you are eating as a side with some other protein source on your plate. With the additional protein source, you should end up with a good carbohydrate to protein ratio.