Warm Barley Salad With Roasted Butternut Squash, Blue Cheese, Walnuts, And Arugula

This hearty, warmed salad is great for the colder months when you shudder at the thought of a cold, light salad. With toasty, savoury flavors from roasted walnuts, blue cheese, nutty barley, and spicy arugula, you’ll love this salad all year round.

Ingredients

• Pearled barley (dry): 1 cup
• Butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes: 2 cups
• Extra virgin olive oil: 2 tsp
• Lemon, juiced (about 2 tbsp): 1/2
• Extra virgin olive oil: 1/4 cup
• Dijon mustard: 2 tsp
• Maple syrup: 1 tbsp
• Dried thyme: 1 tsp
• Sea salt: 1/2 tsp
• Red onion, very finely diced: 1/2 cup
• Walnuts, roasted: 1 cup
• Arugula: 4 cups
• Blue cheese, crubmled: 60g

Directions

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 90 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

First, cook the barley: Add 1 cup of pearled barley to a pot with 2.5 cups of water or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook, covered, for 40-60 minutes. This ratio will yield about 3.5 cups of cooked barley. Once cooked, fluff the grains, and set aside to cool.

While the barley is cooking, roast the butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the peeled, cubed butternut squash in 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and spread the squash cubes out in an even layer, being careful not to crowd the pieces. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven, toss the pieces for even baking, then place back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Squash cubes are ready when they are soft in the middle and golden at the edges. Once they are done, set them aside to cool.

While the barley/butternut is cooking, you can also make the dressing: Add the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 cup olive oil, dijon, maple syrup, thyme, and sea salt to a jar and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Once the barley and squash have cooked and cooled, add them both to a large bowl with the dressing, red onion, walnuts, and arugula, and toss to combine. Portion into individual bowls, top with crumbled blue cheese, and serve.