Barley, Chickpea Salad with Carrots and Pumpkin Seeds

This tasty salad is good served warm or cold and easy to put together. Barley is one of our favorite grains.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry pearl barley
• 2 cups vegetable bouillon
• 1 14 ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 2 carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice or combination
• 1 teaspoon mild mustard
• 2 ounces pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted
• salt and pepper to taste
• served with lettuce

Directions:

1. Wash the barley and place in a sauce pan.
2. Add the vegetable bouillon and cook until the barley is soft.
3. When done, remove from the heat, drain off any extra water and place in a mixing bowl or salad bowl.
4. Drain the chickpeas and add to the cooked pearl barley.
5. Peel the carrots and grate or slice in thin matchsticks. Add the carrots to the barley and chickpeas.
6. Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, vinegar and or lemon juice, minced garlic and mustard together.
7. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix gently.
8. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan.
9. Season the salad with salt and pepper as needed.
10. Serve the salad on lettuce garnished with the pumpkin seeds on top.