Peach-cucumber-barley Salad

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1 3/4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• water
• 1 seedless cucumber
• 2 ripe peaches
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaf
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 head boston lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried

Recipe

• 1 place barley in a 4 qt saucepan. cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, or until toasted, stirring.
• 2 stir in the broth and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes or until tender. drain if necessary, and set aside to cool slightly.
• 3 meantime, scoop out and discard the seed cavity of the cucumber, then cut it up into 1/4 in pieces.
• 4 pit and chop the peaches.
• 5 cut the tomatoes into quarters (halve if they are very small).
• 6 in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil and 1/4 tsp salt.
• 7 add barley and toss until well coated. allow to cool, then add the cucumbers, peaches, tomatoes, and chickpeas, tossing until well combined.
• 8 serve over lettuce leaves.
• 9 note: i had no basil leaves when i made this again, so used the vinaigrette from fingerling potato salad with honey-thyme vinaigrette, some additional fresh thyme and a little pineapple sage, which worked very well.