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Special Diet Information

Coumadin® (Warfarin)
This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.

Lactose
This recipe contains cheese and some of those who are lactose intolerant may be able to tolerate it.

Sodium
This is NOT a low sodium recipe.

GERD / Acid Reflux
This recipe contains GERD triggers and those with GERD may wish to avoid it.

Gluten Sensitivity
This recipe is NOT safe for those who are sensitive to gluten.

"In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours."
-Mark Twain, Author

The refrigerator light goes on...

Barley makes a great alternative to pasta or rice salads. It has a terrific, slightly chewy texture that goes so well in a salad like this one. You could substitute the barley for pasta or rice in your favorite salad. The rule of thumb is 1 cup of uncooked barley = 3 servings. Likewise, you're not stuck with the veggies in this salad. Like asparagus or spinach? Add that instead of the peppers and squash.

Feta Cheese

Greek feta is traditionally a goat's milk or sheep's milk cheese. Much of the mass marketed cheese available today is, however, cow's milk cheese. True feta is a lovely rich crumbly cheese and is usually lower in fat than other cheeses, having about 6 grams per ounce.

Feta is a "brined" cheese, meaning that it is cured in a salt water and is, as a result, very salty. An ounce of tangy feta usually has over 300 mg of sodium per ounce (compared to a Swiss or cheddar with between 100 and 200 mg of sodium per ounce).

Like Parmigiano-Reggiano, however, there's a lot of bang for your buck. Used carefully, feta can really make a dish. And of course it wouldn't be Greek Salad without feta.

1 ounce feta cheese = 75 calories, 6g fat, 4g sat fat, 1g mono fat, 4g protein, 1g carbohydrates, 316mg sodium, 25mg cholesterol

Spring Barley Salad

Servings = 3 | Serving size =about 2 cups

Cooking Time = 60 Minutes

This recipe can be multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5.

This recipe makes very good leftovers.

2 quarts	water
1 cup	pearled barley
1 small	shallot (minced)
2	ribs celery (diced)
2 medium	carrots (peeled and diced)
1 medium	yellow squash (seeded and diced)
1/2 medium	green bell pepper (seeded and diced)
4	radishes (sliced very thin)
2 ounces	feta cheese (crumbled)
2 Tbsp	pine nuts
2 Tbsp	capers
2 Tbsp	liquid from jar of capers
6 large	leaves fresh basil (chiffonade)
3 Tbsp	olive oil
1/4 tsp	salt
	fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Place the water in a large stock pot over high heat. When it begins to boil add the barley and reduce the heat to medium-high so that the barley is at a slow rolling boil. Stir occasionally.

While the barley is cooking prep the vegetables and add the shallot, celery, carrots, yellow squash, green bell pepper, radishes, feta cheese, pine nuts, capers, caper liquid and basil to a large bowl. Fold together gently.

Add two tablespoons of the olive oil to the bowl and fold together gently. Place the bowl in the refrigerator.

When the barley is just cooked it will be slight firm and chewy but not have a grainy texture. Drain and add to a second bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and fold gently. Let the barley cool for about ten minutes and then put it in the refrigerator to chill.

After about 30 minutes fold the chilled barley into the bowl with the veggies, salt and pepper. Chill for another 30 minutes or so.