Donna’s barley, black bean and veggie salad

This is a colorful tasty salad with lots of interesting textures. Beans, barley and fresh vegetables are great sources of fiber. The bonus is that you can make it ahead. It keeps well for several days in the refrigerator. Add shrimp or chicken if desired.

1 cup pearled barley
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed 1 medium zucchini, diced 1 small cucumber, seeded and diced 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half 3 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cut in small cubes – optional 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Dressing

1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon maple syrup
dash salt

Cook barley according to box directions. Spread out on a cookie sheet to cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine beans, zucchini, cucumber, onion, pepper, tomatoes, cheese and parsley. Add cooled barley. Stir to mix.

In a small food processor, combine dressing ingredients. Add desired amount of dressing to the bean vegetable mixture. Stir to mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional information per serving (serves 10):

Calories: 180
Fat, gm.: 6
Protein, gm.: 5
Carbs, gm.: 27
Cholesterol, mg.: 0
Fiber, gm.: 7