Leftover Salads

Leftovers.

Images of warmed over, unappetizing lumps of food kind of plopped on a plate or microwaved in a sad looking take out container. Rarely does the term have any kind of positive image. Still, if you are trying to be a more frugal cook, using up leftovers needs to be part of your "kitchen skills."

Maybe you can revitalize your attitude toward leftovers if you start to think of these ingredients in the refrigerator as "idea starters," "creativity makers" for coming meals.

My mother was a creative cook, and she always found ways to u leftovers so they were appetizing and never dull. Probably one of the biggest disappointments with her leftover cooking was the problem of duplication. I remember often having a main dish that was so wonderful, we all asked her to make it again and, if there were guests, there would be requests for the recipe. Her answer would have to be, sorry, but I just stirred some leftovers together and then tasted for seasoning. Since there would never again be quite this same combination of ingredients to work with, that very appealing "casserole" or stew or soup couldn't be exactly re-created.

I was reminded of this today as I stirred up a main dish salad. After a potluck this weekend, a friend shared a wonderful pasta salad, enough for several servings. Yesterday I had some of this with turkey breast and squash, but today I wanted to lighten it up, and have enough to share with several guests. There was also just a tiny smidge--about 2 to 3 tablespoons--of the coleslaw I had made last weekend (posted here http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-best-cole-slaw-ever.html.) Though the weather has turned cold again, it still was a day for a main dish salad with warm homemade rolls on the side, so it was time to make a Leftover Salad.

Salads like this are great for this time of the year, when I try very much to avoid the hard imported tomatoes that are the only fresh ones available. Some of the other summer salad ingredients are also harder to find. I haven't gone completely to local foods, but I do like to stay at least somewhat with the seasons as I choose salad ingredients. There were radishes and green onions on special this week, both very springlike tastes for me, and Aldi's was featuring cucumbers and mixed color bell peppers at very reasonable prices. (Yes, I know they aren't local, but the price was such that I could splurge a little here.) There is still cabbage in the crisper and some nice fresh spinach for color, so a salad could be pulled together quickly. The pasta salad and coleslaw each brought some dressing into the bowl, so I just tasted and added a little more (ranch dressing for this combination) as needed to dress the salad well.

The final salad proved to be just right for a hearty lunch. Some fresh strawberries (also on sale this week) and orange wedges made a great finale, and everyone had at least four servings of vegetables and fruit all in one colorful package.

Following is what I used in this salad, along with some suggestions for other additions that might be made. Note that the amounts given are very approximate and should definitely be varied, depending on what you have on hand.  When using something like a pasta or chicken salad, the key is to add this in small portions to the greens and then tossing the mixture well so that the thicker salads don't remain as big unmixed lumps in the overall dish.

Today's Leftover Salad

6 to 7 romaine lettuce leaves, coarsely chopped
about 1 to 2 c fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
2 to 4 large radishes, sliced
about 1/3 large cucumber, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely diced
1 to 2 t finely chopped onion, to taste
1 to 2 T sliced black olives
2 c coarsely shredded cabbage
about 1 to 1 1/2 c pasta salad
about 1/2 c cole slaw, including dressing
ranch dressing (or dip) to taste

Toss all ingredients together and taste for seasoning, adding dressing as needed to moisten appropriately.

Other possible add-ins:
diced or shredded cheese, any variety
crumbled bacon or artificial bacon bits
diced turkey, chicken, ham, or roast beef
chopped hard-boiled egg
other lettuces or greens
broccoli, peas, corn, or other leftover cooked vegetables
shredded red cabbage
grated carrot
diced celery
broccoli or cauliflower
sliced mushrooms
nuts, sunflower seeds, etc.



Dressing choices:
The nice thing about including some "pre-made" salad leftovers is that you will be able to take advantage of the dressing already on that part of your ingredients. What is already included in your mix may well guide you in the rest of your dressing. For today's salad, the pasta had a mayonnaise dressing that had many of the same herbs as ranch dressing, so that was my choice for finishing the salad. Had the pasta salad been made with a basil flavored vinaigrette, I might have mixed up a little more oil and vinegar dressing or pulled a bottle of similar dressing from the refrigerator. The cole slaw's sweet and tangy vinegar dressing went well with the ranch dressing but would have also blended well with many others as well.

...or Fruits and a sweeter salad:
You can also take your salad in an entirely different direction by adding in fresh (diced apple, pear, banana, pineapple, strawberries, etc.) or dried (cranberries, raisins, diced dried apricot) fruits. My preference is to keep these sweeter elements out of salads that are more savory or vegetable-oriented, but feel free to expand your horizons with these leftovers as well. Who knows when you might come up with your own special, never to be quite duplicated recipe too!

Week after Easter Potato Salad

That ham bone is starting to make you feel guilty every time you open the refrigerator. Look at all the meat that is still clinging to the bone; but it's mostly in little pieces that are hard to think of ways to use it. And boiled eggs! Nobody in the family even wants to hear about another egg salad sandwich for at least a month, and plain boiled eggs for breakfast have also lost any special "magic they might have had before.

Time for a potato salad dinner, one that is really fast to make and different from the rest of what you've been having lately. Today's recipe is a variation on a "German" Potato Salad my kids' Great Grandma often made in the summer--and always when there was going to be a "brat" fry.

Using ham scraps and some of that extra fat around the bone will still give the smoky flavor Great Grandma's bacon and bacon fat provided, and the eggs will provide more body and texture, even as they are more "hidden" from those who might be ready to complain about "oh no, boiled eggs again. (In case you noticed, yes my photo has the eggs on the side. Just couldn't get the photo to look quite as good without them placed separately. Some day I'll get this food photography thing down!)

I also use something Great Grandma never had to cook the potatoes--my microwave. The potatoes cook in just about the same amount of time the rest of the recipe comes together, a real benefit at the end of a busy day. Add a tossed salad and/or fresh fruit and you have a complete meal.

 

German Potato Salad with Ham

This amount serves four as a main dish or six if it is used as a side. It is easily doubled for potlucks and picnics too.  

1 pound potatoes, in large dice (or sliced)

about 1 to 1 1/2 c small ham pieces, with fat not trimmed off

1 small to medium onion, diced

1 c water--divided

1/4 c sugar

2 T cider vinegar

2 T cornstarch

2 boiled eggs, coarsely chopped

salt and black pepper to taste

1.  Place the potatoes in a microwave safe mixing bowl (about a quart to a quart and a half size) with 1/2 cup water. Cover loosely and microwave on high about 7 minutes. Stir after a few minutes and then check again after about 6 minutes to be sure the potatoes are just done but not too soft. Microwaves vary, so you may have to make some adjustment in the time.

2.  Meanwhile, put the ham in a skillet. if it is very lean, you may need to add a teaspoon or two of oil, to just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat the ham over medium high heat, stirring and pressing on the pieces to release the fat on to the pan.  About a minute or so before the potatoes are done, add the onions to the ham and allow to cook lightly.

3.  Stir together the sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and 1/4 c water in a measuring cup, until the mixture is very smooth. 

4.  When the potatoes are done, drain any remaining liquid into the sugar and vinegar mixture and add enough water to reach the 1 1/2 cup line. 

5.  Pour this mixture into the pan with the ham and onions. Stir until the mixture becomes thick and clear. Fold in the potatoes and chopped eggs, turn off the heat, and allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to blend the flavors.

6.  Now, check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. You need to wait until this point because there is so much variation in the saltiness of ham.  Best served warm but it can also be chilled if you prefer.

VARIATION--if you also have leftover potatoes (like those little red ones you boiled in their jackets and served with just a bit of butter and salt and pepper), make the following changes:  Omit the potato water in step 4 and just use tap water to reach the 1 1/2 cup level.  Stir the potatoes into the sauce and allow to simmer on low for several minutes, until they are thoroughly heated through.

Frugal? Of course--this uses those leftovers you might otherwise be tempted to toss.

Fast?  From the time you start scrubbing the potatoes until the salad is ready for the table, you probably won't have spent more than half an hour.

Fun? Potato salad is one of those foods I think of as a warm weather dish, so this just might make you feel a little more springlike.

Tomorrow I'll be adding a soup recipe or two for the bone and any juices you may have reserved. Meanwhile, you can look to my very first Frugal, Fast, and Fun blog post for my take on classic

 Split Pea Soup with Ham .

Late Summer Pasta Salads

We were blessed to have a little rain over the weekend after a prolonged dry spell. Nothing like so many parts of the country, of course, but we had been spoiled by plenty of moisture well into August, so having to water the garden (and the raspberries--always the raspberries!) was something we hadn't had to do earlier in the season.

Now, on Monday afternoon, the sun is shining, the temperature is just right and it looks like a long scheduled picnic this evening hit just the right day. It's a potluck so I decided on a pasta salad along with my usual apple-raspberry crisp. (If I told you how many times a season I make this for various events, you'd probably laugh and wonder why I don't try something new. Hey, I say, stick with the tried and true, especially if people still are asking for the recipe.)

Over the years, pasta salads have taken on all kinds of variations, a far cry from the few choices back in the 60s and 70s when this usually meant tuna salad (elbow macaroni, a can of peas--or daringly, thawed and cooked frozen peas and tuna) or perhaps one with chunks of Velveeta substituted for the tuna. If the cook was really up-to-date, she might even stir in a few black or green olives (never both) and some steamed broccoli sprigs.

Then came an explosion of pasta salad variations, and a typical summer potluck can now be counted on to have three or four kinds at a minimum. Today's entry is one that uses some farmers' market finds, with the vegetables chosen for color as well as taste. In addition my master gardening neighbor gave me a giant basil plant so I have lots of this to add flavor to many different dishes.

The recipe below should be considered just a start. After the basics (for me, that means a little onion and some celery for crunch), look at what you have available. Color and flavor combinations should both be considered. The nice thing with vegetables is that, in general, nutrition follows color, so the brighter and more contrasting the choices, the healthier the salad is likely to be.

Following the recipe are some suggestions for making the salad your own.

Pasta and Vegetable Salad for Fall

1 c broccoli flowerets
1/4 to 1/3 c finely diced sweet onion, to taste
3/4 c diced or sliced celery
1 1/2 c shredded red cabbage
3/4 c thinly sliced yellow squash
1 t olive oil
1 minced garlic clove OR 1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t salt
8 ounces radiatore or other medium-sized pasta
1 T minced fresh basil
1 t lemon juice
1 T sugar or to taste
1 to 1 1/2 c plain yogurt
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to directions until just done.

2. Meanwhile, place the broccoli in a microwave-safe dish with a teaspoon or so of water; cover and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and rinse lightly in cold water.

3. Using the same dish, combine the sliced yellow squash, the olive oil, garlic and salt. Toss lightly and then microwave for 45 seconds to one minute.

4. Stir the sugar, lemon juice and 1 cup yogurt together, adding about 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

5. Combine all the vegetables with the pasta and basil in a large bowl. Pour the yogurt dressing over and toss. If needed, stir in more yogurt to desired consistency. Add freshly ground pepper and more salt to taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour or two, to be sure flavors are well blended.



Variations

Dressing

You will note that the dressing is low fat because of the use of yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Even the oil used when steaming the squash could be omitted, but I like adding that little bit to infuse this otherwise slightly bland vegetable with more flavor. If you wish, you could just substitute mayonnaise, Miracle Whip type salad dressing or any other dressings of your choice, but this dressing along with whatever herbs you choose will allow the flavors of the vegetables to predominate.

Pasta

Whenever there is a special on pasta, I like to try some of the more unusual shapes. The grandchildren have learned that mac and cheese doesn't always come in little elbows, and they now look forward to some of the variations. Something different, like today's radiatore, can also add interest to a salad as well.

Other Vegetables

• Carrots, grated or sliced (if sliced, steam these lightly as with the broccoli and yellow squash)
• Green cabbage instead of, or in addition to, red cabbage
• Diced bell pepper, any and all colors
• Frozen peas--DON'T thaw; just toss into the salad straight from the freezer
• Sugar peas
• Diced beets! If these are used, I'd add them just before serving, to avoid getting an overall pink salad
• Cauliflower, prepared as with the broccoli

Herbs
As mentioned, I have a wonderful supply of sweet basil to use, but you might want to try fresh dill instead, if that is in your garden. When there are no fresh herbs, a mixture of dried basil, rosemary, and thyme is always good, but you can also try whatever suits your fancy for the day.

Other additions
This was made as a side salad, but the addition of diced cheese, some garbanzo beans, chopped hard boiled eggs, or diced ham could move it to main dish status. Served with sliced tomatoes from the garden and some fresh fruit, you'd have a great and simple make-ahead meal.
Black or green olives are always something to be considered, for color and a bit of salty taste.
A little crumbled bacon could also provide a flavor and texture contrast.

Leftover Bread Turned into a Spring Salad

The most recent batch of homemade bread had dwindled to one large bun and the chunky end of the last loaf, not enough of either to serve as a side for a salad lunch. Turning them into hefty croutons didn't make the resulting dish a "bread salad," but it did add body and savory flavor due to the garlic and added herbs.

I love the pairing of spinach and shredded cabbage, and that became the base for this mostly green salad. The rest of the list of ingredients is highly variable, based on what's in your refrigerator and your personal preferences.

The dressing has a nutrition boost, and the croutons (especially if made with a hearty whole grain bread) add to the overall balance, so this could be a good one dish main course justifying a hearty spring dessert like strawberry shortcakes or bright, and light, lemon meringues.

Healthy Spring Salad with Croutons

(NOTE--ALL salad ingredient amounts are approximate and are provided only as guides)

2 to 3 c spinach, coarsely torn
2 to 3 c shredded cabbage
2 to 3 T finely diced sweet onion
1/2 c diced green bell pepper
1/2 c diced, peeled, cucumber
2 to 3 T chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish if desired)
1 c shredded carrot (1 small to medium)

Protein Boosted Dressing
Croutons
Shredded cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese (optional)

Toss all the salad ingredients with the dressing. Divide into 3 to 4 salad plates and top with croutons and cheese just before serving. Add a grind of black pepper if desired.

Protein Boosted Dressing

1 c plain yogurt
1/4 to 1/3 c light Italian dressing--or your favorite
seasoning salt and/or cayenne pepper to taste

Stir together and toss with salad.

Croutons

2 T olive or canola oil
1/2 t garlic powder OR 2 to 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 t dried herbs--I used a mixture of 2 parts basil, 1 part rosemary, 1 part thyme
1/2 to 1 t salt, to taste
approximately 2 c leftover bread, cut in large cubes

Stir the seasonings into the oil in a large skillet and heat on medium high for 3 to 4 minutes. When the oil is well heated and fragrant, stir in the bread and stir to coat evenly. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the bread is golden brown and quite crisp. Leftover croutons may be stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

...and on to the New

Some added comments to yesterday's post:

Pumpkin Seeds:

The method for roasting the pumpkin seeds may seem more cumbersome than the common approach to just rinse the seeds, coat with oil, and bake. The advantage to the brining is a much crunchier product and more even seasoning of the seeds.

Pumpkin Puree:

I neglected to weigh my pumpkin before roasting, so I can't give a good estimate of the ratio of uncooked pumpkin to pulp. However, as noted, I had paid less than $2 for the pumpkin, even as the price of canned pumpkin was well over $1 for the 15 ounce size. (There apparently was a significant pumpkin harvest shortfall in late 2009, so the price had jumped throughout all of 2010.) My pumpkin was "average" for the ones sold this fall; as seems typical here, pumpkins tend to be sold per fruit rather than by the pound.

What did I get for my $1.88? Eight cups of pumpkin puree and 2 1/2 cups of roasted pumpkin seeds. A good reminder to me to shop for pie pumpkins again next year, since they are so easy to prepare and can be frozen for ready use in recipes.

And how do I plan to use this pumpkin? Some will be frozen in half cup packages for adding to spaghetti sauce, chili, etc.--just as I use pureed squash, for adding to the nutrient load and building some added depth to the overall flavor.

There will also be some frozen in one cup portions for desserts. My August 24, 2009 post on this blog includes a recipe for a pumpkin apple upside down cake that makes a spectacular fall dessert. However, my personal, preferred dessert approach is pumpkin pudding, which is really just your favorite pumpkin pie filling poured into a pie plate or casserole dish and baked without any crust. Same great flavor but without the extra calories of the pastry.

If you are an ice cream lover, you can also take your favorite pumpkin pie filling recipe, omit the eggs, cut the milk in half (or omit completely), double the spices, and stir into about an equal amount of softened vanilla ice cream. Refreeze and enjoy at any season, not just when pumpkin pie ice cream might possibly be available. (You can choose to stir the pumpkin and ice cream together thoroughly for a solid effect or only marble the filling into the ice cream.)

The recipe I use as a basis for pumpkin pie, pumpkin pudding, or pumpkin ice cream is essentially the "Libby's Classic Pumpkin Pie" that you will find all over the internet--as well as on the side of Libby's pumpkin. I will admit to a couple of adjustments: the original recipe calls for 1/2 t salt, which I omit, and I often shake the cinnamon and ginger into the filling a little more generously than called for. Other than that, I try to actually follow this recipe!

Pumpkin Pie Filling

2 c pumpkin, either canned or prepared at home
2 eggs
3/4 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t cloves
1 2/3 c evaporated milk ( 12 oz can)

Combine all ingredients, beating to be sure everything is well blended. If making a pie, place in a 9 inch prepared pie shell. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake 45 more minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.


I am also going to include a recipe that I have not personally tested, since it comes highly recommended by my daughter and is one that my sister Linda made often when her kids were growing up. Looking at the amount of sugar in the recipe, it is clear that these are the kind of muffins that should be for dessert, not as a bread side--but then, that seems to be what all muffins are now. I think I'm showing my age when I say that the muffins I learned how to make in home ec class years ago were all pretty plain, usually intended as a base for some butter and homemade jams and jellies.

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

2 1/2 c flour
2 c sugar
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 eggs
1 c solid pack pumpkin
1/2 c oil
2 c finely chopped apple

Streusel Topping
2 T flour
1/4 c sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
4 t butter

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the eggs, pumpkin and oil and add to the flour mixture, stirring gently until just moistened--do not overbeat. Fold in the apples.

Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Sprinkle with Streusel Topping and bake for 35 to 40 minutes for large muffins, a little less for medium muffins. Makes 6 giant muffins, 9 to 12 medium muffins.

Streusel Topping
Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.


And finally,

Black-eyed Peas

I started my New Year's with black-eyed peas, but not in the way I had initially planned. I decided to try a bowl of them for breakfast with only a scoop of good salsa over the top. My fears about these being too strong-flavored were instantly gone, as I found the flavor of this combination perfect as a savory start to the day and the new year.

An aside:
I had prepared the peas by soaking in salt water and then rinsing that off before cooking, and the final product didn't need any salt at all. I had written about this approach in an earlier blog but hadn't tried it until now--I would always forget and just start soaking beans, not thinking of the salting step until too late. I'd love to find a site that may have scientifically checked the sodium levels of beans prepared this way.

But back to the black-eyed peas. I decided to go for a kind of wintery salad mix instead of making a vegetarian version of Hoppin' John or anything similar, pulling out things already in the cupboard and produce drawer.

New Year's Salad

1 c cubed sweet potato (1 medium)
4 c cooked black-eyed peas, drained (probably two cans if you are not using those prepared yourself)
1 c coarsely chopped orange bell pepper (l large)
1/2 c chopped red onion (1/2 medium)
3/4 c diced celery
4 oz can diced green chiles; do not drain
1 c frozen corn
1/3 to 1/2 c chopped cilantro, or more to taste
3 T olive oil
2 T balsamic or cider vinegar--or a mixture
2 t cumin
1 t dried basil
2 to 3 T sugar, to taste
seasoning salt and black pepper to taste

Place the sweet potato cubes in a covered container with about a teaspoon of water and microwave for about 2 to 3 minutes until just tender.

Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl and toss to mix well. Allow to marinate a few hours, taste for seasoning, and serve.

Not sure about any good luck this will bring, but it certainly does add a lot of flavor to any foods with which it is served!

Raspberries Again--This Time in a Salad

After being quite chilly and overcast all day, this evening turned warm enough that a salad seemed enough for dinner, but I had no tomatoes in the house. (That has been the hard part of giving over my garden this year to all the other things in my life. How can it be late summer and NOT have tomatoes everywhere in the kitchen--just seems so wrong!)

What I did have, however, was a small amount of raspberry pulp left from an experiment making raspberry syrup, some cooked chicken, apples and bagged mixed greens that had been on sale over the weekend. The result was a great main dish salad that went perfectly with some toasted home-made whole wheat-flax seed bread.

The amounts given below are pretty approximate, enough for two or three as a main dish, and definitely flexible. That is one of the delights of tossed salads, the opportunity to mix together varying amounts of whatever fresh ingredients you have on hand. The key here is to have crunchy (the raw broccoli and apple), crisp (greens), and savory (freshly grated pepper and the chicken which had been roasted with an herbal seasoning rub) along with the sweet/tart dressing.

Late Summer Salad

Salad
3 to 4 c mixed salad greens of your choice
grated carrot and chopped red cabbage--about 1/2 c or so of each (if you have the iceberg type pre-packaged greens, these might be included)
1 c broccoli flowerets, cut in small pieces
1 to 2 small Macintosh apples, cored and diced--do not peel
1 to 2 c diced roast chicken (I used dark meat from chicken leg quarters)

Raspberry Honey Mustard dressing
3 T mashed raspberries (see NOTE)
2 to 4 T honey mustard dressing, your favorite brand

freshly grated black pepper to taste

1. Toss all but the raspberries, honey mustard dressing and black pepper together.
2. Mix the raspberries and honey mustard dressing. Taste and adjust proportions as desired and pour over the salad.
3. Sprinkle generously with grated black pepper.

NOTE: I started a raspberry syrup by cooking 2 cups of raspberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and a cup of water about two minutes. This was then poured into a fine colander so that the juices could be separated from most of the seeds. (I still don't have a sieve that allows for all the raspberry seeds to be strained out.) There was a lot of pulp left behind with the seeds, so I decided to try using the leftover pulp in this salad. The flavor was excellent, and the seeds added one more level of texture to the salad.
Fresh raspberries crushed and sweetened very lightly could just as easily be substituted here; just mix with the honey mustard dressing and adjust the proportions as desired.

Oh--the syrup? With over a quart a day of berries right now, I am trying a lot of new ways to use this wonderful fruit, and it seemed like a quart of syrup would be great in the refrigerator for breakfast or for a quick dessert over ice cream or cottage pudding. I tasted my first experimental batch while it was still warm--great flavor but a little on the thin side. Seems like a little more testing and adjusting is in order before posting here.

Summer Barley Salad

A check of the refrigerator revealed half a cucumber, half a sweet onion, half a bell pepper, and a small amount of barley all needing to be used; missing were lettuce, parsley or any other fresh herbs. My kitchen and my garden were in the midst of summer doldrums on a very hot, very un-air-conditioned day. Still, I was hungry for a salad, so here is what I developed.

Served with a plate of peaches, cherries and blueberries (all on sale that week), it made a great light supper enough for 3; add a little fruit blended yogurt for dessert, and the meal would stretch to serve 4.

Barley Salad for Summer

2 c cooked barley (about 3/4 to 1 cup uncooked)
1 c diced cucumber
1/2 c finely minced sweet onion
1/4 c or more diced bell pepper--use a mixture of colors if available
1 c frozen peas (no need to thaw; just stir in)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 to 2 t mixed dried herbs (I used basil, rosemary, thyme and marjoram, a mix I keep ready)
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 T sugar, to taste
3 T olive oil
lemon pepper and/or seasoning salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill several hours or overnight to allow flavors to develop. This will keep a couple of days in the refrigerator, so it is a good one to make ahead.

Variations:
Broccoli flowerets could be substituted or the peas (if fresh, I would blanch them in the microwave for about 1 minute, until barely tender and bright green). If you have garden-fresh tomatoes, they could be served on the side or diced into the salad just before serving. This is also the kind of salad that would look great for stuffing into great big tomato treasures.

Nutritional Note:
Pearl barley, the form most readily available in most stores, is significantly lower in protein and other nutrients than hulled barley, but the latter is harder to find and does take a little longer to cook. If you use pearl barley--as I did--you might want to add in a few cheese cubes, have some milk to drink or be sure to include some yogurt to up the protein and calcium a little more. Still, even pearl barley is a good food to put on the menu occasionally.