BARLEY RECIPES: Wild Rice, Barley and Berry Salad . . . Toasted Barley Soup with Swedish Meatballs . . . Vegetable Beef Soup

Wild Rice, Barley and Berry Salad

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

¾ cup minced leeks

¾ cup minced onions

2 cups cooked wild rice, cooled

2 cups cooked barley, cooled

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

½ pint fresh blueberries or blackberries, sliced in half

Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in an 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and onions and cook until they are softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.

Add the wild rice and barley to the leek mixture. Whisk together the remaining ½ cup olive oil, the vinegar, chives and parsley in a small bowl. Add the dressing to the grains, toss and season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in the berries and serve.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

Toasted Barley Soup with Swedish Meatballs

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

¾ cup quick-cooking barley

2¼ cups reduced-sodium beef broth

1½ cups diced carrots

1½ cups diced zucchini

½ pound frozen, cooked Swedish meatballs

1½ tablespoons minced fresh dill or 1½ teaspoons dried dill

2¼ cups water

¼ teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream

In a large saucepan over medium-low, heat the oil. Add the barley and stir until it is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

Add the broth, carrots, zucchini, meatballs, dill and water. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover the pot and cook over medium-low until the barley is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve each bowl of soup topped with a tablespoon of sour cream.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 286 calories, 81 calories from fat, 9 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 18 milligrams cholesterol, 40 grams carbohydrates, 13 grams protein, 8 grams fiber, 371 milligrams sodium.

Vegetable Beef Soup

4 quarts water

1 2- to 3-pound chuck roast

10 carrots, diced

1 head of green cabbage, chopped

1 onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 rutabaga, diced

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes

1 32-ounce can tomato juice

½ cup pearled barley

Salt and pepper to taste

Place beef roast in water and cook until tender. Remove from pot and let cool. Add the remaining ingredients to pot and bring to a boil, adding cooled meat cut into bit-sized pieces. After soup comes to a boil, simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Note: To add homemade egg noodles, beat two eggs with a fork and then add flour so the consistency thickens but is not too runny. Drop into soup a tablespoon at a time. After about 10 minutes or so, they should be done and the soup can be served.

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