Kale, Barley, & Apple Salad

Barley is kind of a forgotten grain - it's just not something most of use as a staple. With summer upon us, I wanted to incorporate barley into a hearty salad and one that could be turned into a complete meal for those lazy, hot summer evenings. Barley is a great source of fibre, magnesium, B6, non-heme iron, and plant based protein.

Kale is growing on me! It's funny how taste preferences change over time, especially when you have the freedom to experiment with food and flavours at your own pace. Because Kale is a robust green that doesn't wilt easily, it works great for batch dishes or salads that you want to eat over a few days.

This salad is a lovely balance of sweet, salty, and sour and it's incredibly filling. The base is vegan but optional add ins include: chicken breast, feta cheese, or canned chickpeas.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry pearl barley

1/2 bunch kale, washed, massaged and chopped finely (see directions)

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (for the kale)

1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped

1/3 cup cucumber, chopped

1/2 apple, chopped (skin on)

8 Kalamata olives, halved

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

Dressing:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

Juice from 1 lemon

2 tsp white sugar

1/2 tsp iodized salt

Ground black pepper

Directions:

1) Bring the barley to boil in 3.5 cups water; reduce heat to low rolling boil until fully cooked through (~25 minutes). Once cooked through, rinse the barley with cold water. Add to a large salad bowl.

2) While the barley cooks, make the dressing, stir it well, and set aside.

2) Cut or pull the kale leaves off the woody spine. Rinse under running water, massaging the kale as your wash it. In a bowl massage the kale with 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil. Chop finely and add to the salad bowl.

3) Add the bell pepper, cucumber, apple, olives, and garlic and stir together well.

4) Pour the dressing onto the salad and stir really well.

5) Let sit 1 hour or more before serving. This salad gets more flavourful the longer it sits (better the next day!).

6) Optional to add chick peas or chicken breast to turn this salad into a complete meal.

Makes 5 servings.

Submitted by Brooke Bulloch, RD