Balsamic Fig & Barley Grain Bowl with Crunchy Seeds

Ingredients

Salad

6 cups (1500 ml) greens in bite-sized pieces (romaine, spring mix, spinach, baby kale, etc)
3 cups (750 ml) cooked and cooled barley (1 cup uncooked)
1 cup (250 ml) candied flax and sunflower seed topper
1 cup (250 ml) cucumber, sliced
8 dried figs
8 oz (224 g) cubed old cheddar
1 recipe of creamy balsamic dressing
¼ cup (60 ml) sliced red onions

Crunchy Toasted Flax and Sunflower Seeds

1 Countryside Farms Free Run Vita Egg, white
2 tbsp (30 ml) brown sugar
½ tsp (2 ml) salt
1 ½ cups (375 ml) sunflower seeds
½ cup (125 ml) whole flax seeds

Creamy Balsamic Dressing (Makes just under ¾ cup (180 ml) dressing)

¼ cup (60 ml) plain yogurt
2 tbsp (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) honey (melted if using creamed honey)
1 small clove garlic, minced
⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) salt
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

Method

Crunchy Toasted Flax and Sunflower Seeds:

Preheat the oven to 300° Fahrenheit.

Whisk the egg white until frothy. Add in the brown sugar and salt and whisk again.

Stir in the sunflower and flax seeds with a spatula.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner.

Spread the seeds on a single layer on the lined baking sheet.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Allow to fully cool and then break into bite-sized pieces.

Creamy Balsamic Dressing:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the yogurt, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, and salt.

While whisking, pour the oil into the bowl in a small stream. Whisk until fully combined.

Transfer to a pourable container for serving. A 1 cup (250 ml) canning jar works well!

To assemble the salad:

In a large bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients. Consume within one day (store leftovers in the fridge).

Tips

The crunchy toasted flax and sunflower seeds can be kept in sealed containers at room temperature. You will have extra!

Plan Ahead Mason Jar Salads

To prep ahead four mason jar salads. You’ll need four 1 litre wide mouth mason jars (leftover yogurt tubs do the trick, too). Layer the salad ingredients in the following order to maintain freshness: