WARM BALSAMIC BARLEY & QUINOA SALAD

Pssst… we often keep quinoa in Tupperware on weekdays so we can use it as an easy way to get a quality carb—we toss it in a mason jar salad, in a stirfry and even use it like oatmeal with yogurt in a parfait!

Ingredients:

Salad

• ½ cup raw barley
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• ½ cup raw quinoa
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• 2 cups asparagus (cut into ½ inch pieces)
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• 1 teaspoon olive oil
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• 2 cups kale (cut into 2 inch ribbons)
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• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut into quarters) ¼ cup green onions
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• 2 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
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• ½ cup low-fat or fat free crumbled feta cheese
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• Salt and pepper

Vinaigrette

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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• 1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
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• 2 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. Simmer barley in 1 ½ cups of water for 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, Add quinoa to ¾ cup water. First, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer and cook for about fifteen minutes, or until ready, according to package directions.
3. As grains cook, prepare vinaigrette by whisking olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice together in a bowl.
4. Lightly spritz a pan with oil from a spray bottle and add measured teaspoon of oil to the pan. Sauté asparagus and garlic. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
5. After about 5 minutes, add diced tomatoes and green onions to the sautéed asparagus. Continue to sauté for a couple more minutes.
6. In the same pan, mix in the cooked barley and quinoa, fresh basil, and vinaigrette. Mix well and remove from heat into a separate bowl.
7. Mix the feta cheese into the salad, let cool, and serve.

Source nutritiontwist.com

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