Protein Barley Salad Recipe
Protein Barley Salad is a marinated, fiber-rich meal made with beans, lentils, and barley in an oil-free herb dressing. It supports cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight goals.
Servings: 3 servings
Calories: 320kcal
Equipment
- Immersion blender or blender
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup dry pearl barley rinsed (or 1 cup cooked)
- 2 cups cooked beans or ¾ cup dried beans, cooked*
- 1 cup cooked French lentils or green or brown lentils (or ½ cup dried lentils, cooked)
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped kale
- ½ cup grated carrots about 1 medium carrot
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallots or red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Pumpkin seeds to taste (optional)
For the Herb Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon mellow miso white miso or chickpea miso
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon date syrup or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ cup fresh basil or mint (4 large leaves)
- 2 tablespoons water plus more as needed
- Salt or salt substitute to taste
Instructions
- Cook the barley according to package instructions. Drain and let cool.
- Rinse and drain the beans and lentils if using canned.
- Combine the cooked barley, beans, lentils, kale, carrots, shallots, and parsley in a large bowl.
- Make the dressing: Blend miso, lemon juice, date syrup, mustard, garlic, parsley, basil, and water until smooth. Add more water as needed. Season with more lemon juice and salt to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.
- Stir in pumpkin seeds (if using) and mix again.
- Serve room temperature or cold.
Notes
*Beans: Use 2 cups cooked beans and 1 cup cooked lentils. Choose from edamame, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, or any mixture of beans. See the blog post for 'Beans Ranked by Protein'. (Example: 1 cup lentils, 1 cup chickpeas, and 1 cup black beans)
Optional for the kale: Massage the chopped kale with lemon juice or olive oil to tenderize, or lightly steam it to boost calcium absorption.
For a creamier dressing, once blended, drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil and blend again until fully incorporated.
Double the dressing if you like extra. It's great to have some on hand for later meals!
Top with Tofu Feta for more protein. This combination is so good. Or choose from these Easy Vegan Recipes for Protein.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 263mg | Potassium: 1039mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5802IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 7mg
