Toasted barley and wild rice salad

Barley’s chewy texture and the nuttiness of wild rice are sure to make this salad a family fave. This is a colourful and healthy salad to pack for lunch or a picnic.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) each pot barley and wild rice
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) sodium reduced vegetable or chicken broth
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) water
  
• 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped
  
• 1 zucchini, chopped
  
• 1 tomato, diced
  
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) cider or white wine vinegar
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) canola oil
  
• 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
  
• Pinch fresh ground pepper
  
• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) chopped cooked turkey or chicken (about 180 g/6 oz)
  
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) each chopped fresh parsley and chives

Directions

1. In a saucepan, toast barley and wild rice over medium heat, stirring for 3 minutes. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes or until barley and rice are tender but still chewy and firm. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooled barley-rice mixture with bell pepper, zucchini and tomato.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, oil, garlic and pepper. Drizzle over top of barley-rice mixture and stir to coat. Stir in turkey, parsley and chives until well distributed.

Tips:

• Go for pot barley, which is a whole grain, instead of pearl barley.
• This salad is equally delicious warm or cold. Perfect for making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to two days.
• Leave out the turkey for a vegetarian version. You can replace it with 1 can (19 oz/)540 mL) drained and rinsed lentils, chickpeas or kidney beans.

Nutritional info per serving (1 of 6)

• Calories 194
  
• Protein 12 g
  
• Total Fat 4 g
  Saturated Fat 1 g
  Trans Fat 0 g
  Cholesterol 26 mg
• Carbohydrates 29 g
  Fibre 5 g
• Sodium 174 mg
  
• Potassium 345 mg