Oh, my barley

Are you ready to shake up your routine?  When was the last time you had barley?  I'll bet it was in a bowl of soup, right?  I'm not talking about an incidental occurrence in your diet.  Have you ever considered creating a dish that celebrates this chewy good-for-you grain as the main ingredient?  Give my Mexican Barley Salad a try and you'll look at barley in a whole new light.

Start off by cooking your barley in beef or chicken broth much like you would prepare rice.  I place 2 cups of barley in a pot with 4 1/2 cups broth.  Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.

Mexican Barley Salad
4 cups cooked barley
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 colored bell pepper, chopped (I used an orange one this time)
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds and membrane removed, finely chopped
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
2 t ground cumin
1 T chili powder
1 T olive oil
juice of 1 or 2 limes

Preparation couldn't be easier.  Simply throw everything together and stir well!
Muy bien!

Yields 12 servings
3/4 cup = 2 POINTS on the Weight Watchers plan

See you to the left of heft, everyone!
Deborah