I’ve never been, and never expect to be, a lady who lunches.
It’s not only the nap inducing glass of Sauvingnon Blanc and overdressed Caesar salad topped with either chicken or salmon that I shun. I don’t even like to take the time to eat lunch when working at home. Sometimes it’s hard to resume  focus after a lunch break and let’s face it, the mid day meal just isn’t as much fun as, say, dinner. I need something as easy and quick to eat as an apple and a handful of peanuts. That means any potential lunch must be sitting in the fridge waiting to be scarfed down at my desk or over the sink. That’s where this chewy barley and wild grain salad comes in. Because I make a big batch as a side for dinner the night before, there’s  plenty of delicious and quick leftovers for days of future lunches to come.

Multiple grains form the backbone of this fiber rich, tart and sweet salad so it not only tastes good, but is good for you as well. It’s not only fast, but  it fills me up and keeps me from pecking around for that  five o’clock before-dinner snack. Once the grains are cooked, there really isn’t a hard and fast recipe that must be followed. For example, my herb garden is flush with parsley, oregano, chives and thyme so I just add a variety of whatever suits my fancy. The simple vinaigrette is just a squeezed lemon and a splash of olive oil. Just add tart-sweet dried fruit and toasted nuts and dig right in.

So, maybe with a bit of planning, I’m a luncher after all.

Kitchen Counter Point: I think it’s important to add the cooked grains to the vinaigrette hot from the pan. That way, they seem to absorb the flavor into the grain and not just coat it on the outside. It’s also a pet peeve of mine when grains, beans or pasta aren’t cooked in salted water. It’s kind of the same concept as adding warm grains to the vinaigrette. When grains, pasta or beans are cooking ( or hot), they absorb some of the cooking liquid and if it is seasoned, so much the better. Since flat tasting insipid grains are a big no-no, add about 1 teaspoon salt to 2 cups cooking water. You’ll be glad you did.

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup pearled barley
1 cup wild rice mix (Lundgrens is nice)
Juice of one lemon or about 1/4 cup
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup currants or raisins
1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
1/4 cup minced parsley
2 teaspoons minced thyme
2 teaspoons minced chives
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Add the barley to a 2-quart saucepan with a lid and cover with 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, reduce the heat and cook covered for 20 minutes or until the barley is cooked through, but still firm to the bite. Dump the grains in a strainer to remove any unwanted extra liquid.

Add the wild rice mix to a 2-quart saucepan with a lid and cover with 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer uncovered, reduce the heat and cook covered for about 45 minutes or until tender. Dump the grains in a strainer to remove any unwanted extra liquid.

Add the lemon juice and salt to a large bowl and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the olive oil to the bowl and blend with a fork until mixed. Add the warm grains, cranberries, currants, nuts and herbs to the bowl and toss to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Refrigerate unused salad and bring to room temperature before serving as leftovers or just nuke for a few moments to take the chill off.