Tex-Mex Pearled Barley Salad with Corn

I whipped this up ahead of time so I wouldn’t have to worry about dinner tonight. I loved that it was pretty simple & didn’t require much prep work.  And check out how many of those ingredients I have growing in my garden. Score!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked, drained pearled barley
2 cups corn {I used frozen}
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 jalapeno, diced {remove the seeds and ribs}
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon chili powder {How to save on bulk spices}
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

Cook your barley. I like to cook it in either a rice cooker or a slow cooker. It cooks just like white rice, so the most important thing to remember is to use the ratio of 1 part quinoa to 2 parts liquid {I use vegetable stock most of the time}. For example, 2 cups of liquid to 1 cup of uncooked barley. Let the barley rest for a good 15 minutes after cooking.

If you do not have a rice cooker simply add the barley and broth in a saucepan, bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook covered, until the liquid has been absorbed and barley is tender {about 20 minutes}.

Mix cooked barley, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans and onions in large bowl. Toss with garlic salt and chili powder. Add jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice and toss thoroughly. Chill before serving.

Love the Tex-Mex flavors in this dish? You’re gonna love this cookbook then: The Everything Tex-Mex Cookbook: 300 Flavorful Recipes to Spice Up Your Mealtimes!