This barley mango salad is a hearty yet refreshing and spring-like meal

I’m wishing winter away with this salad.

Seriously, I’ve had enough.

As if the 3 feet of piled up snow outside weren’t bad enough, I had to shovel that much off our front walkway just so our new couch could be delivered today because there’s no way it’d fit through the garage door, a feat probably worse than 90% of my CrossFit workouts.

I feel this way every February (hello, SAD), but there’s just all these feelings of anger, annoyance, frustration and depression rumbling deep down inside of me.

Sometimes they boil to the surface and scream “GET ME THE EFF OUT OF THIS WEATHER!”

Barley mango salad
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This has been one of those weeks.

And since hopping on a flight or getting on a cruise to somewhere warm isn’t possible right now (although believe me, I’ve looked) I’m trying to combat it with food.

Barley Mango Salad with Avocado Dressing

Spring-like sprouts, mango and the bright cilantro in this barley salad do a pretty damn good job of getting me out of my funk but seriously snow, you can stop now.

If this doesn’t do the trick, this summer barley salad will be next on the list!

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Barley Mango Salad with Avocado Yogurt Dressing

Servings: 6 servings
Prep: 25 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
This barley mango salad is a hearty yet refreshing and spring-like meal.

Ingredients 

For the Salad

  • 1 cup uncooked barley
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 head of watercress, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup alfafa sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons pepitas
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
  • 1 mango, chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

For the Dressing

  • 1 rip avocado
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/3 cup cilantro
  • salt & pepper

Instructions 

  • Place barley in a small sauce pot, fill with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook covered for about 25 minutes until the water is absorbed. Stir and set aside to cool.
  • Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor, process until smooth and set aside.
  • Transfer the cooled barley to a large bowl, add the remaining salad ingredients and toss to combine.
  • Add the dressing to the salad, stir gently to combine, season with more salt & pepper if needed and serve.

Notes

Adding cooked shredded chicken to this salad makes a great meal! Slightly adapted from The Kitchn.

Nutrition

Serving: 1SERVINGCalories: 536kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 13gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 131mgFiber: 15gSugar: 21g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salads
Cuisine: American
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Founder and Writer at Running to the Kitchen | About

Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.

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6 Comments

  1. Hello! I understand this is kind of off-topic however I had to ask.
    Does building a well-established blog like yours take a massive amount work?
    I’m brand new to running a blog but I do write in my journal on a daily basis.

    I’d like to start a blog so I can share my experience and thoughts online.
    Please let me know if you have any kind of suggestions or tips for new aspiring bloggers.
    Appreciate it!

  2. Wow, I love the mangos! I’m getting tired of the cold weather too, but this recipe will definitely cheer me up. What other sorts of fruits or veggies would you add?

  3. Could not agree more!!!! I am so sick of it! Running 75 miles a week in this weather is killing me! Although I know it will make things so much easier when it does eventually loosen its grip!

    I think I may try your make winter go away trick and make this salad! Love mango, and love barely! Sounds perfect! Stay warm :)

  4. This salad is gorgeous! These may be some of my fav pics of yours ever!
    I would have never thought of adding barely to a salad, I usually reserve it only for soups, but I love the idea!
    pinned!