Tuesdays At The Table - Confetti Barley Salad

Welcome to another yummy Tuesday, gang! I've been trying a lot of your recipes lately and want to (again) thank you for all the great stuff that you continue to contribute to Andrea's weekly meme. :-)

We've had a few new people join us in the last few weeks; WELCOME! Please share your favorite recipes and/or food tips, then link up and visit all the other contributors. I want everyone to have as much fun as possible and perhaps get a few new followers!

This week I decided to share something healthy since the past few weeks (or, um, month have been junk food).

Confetti Barley Salad

4 cups water
1 cup dry pearl barley
1/3 cup dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves (or 2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary)
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups diced peppers (red, yellow or green)
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup sliced pitted olives (optional)

Rosemary, orange peel and tomato slices to garnish.

In a saucepan (3 quart or so), bring water and barley to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes (when barley gets tender). Drain and cool.

In a small bowl, whisk mustard, oil, vinegar, parsley rosemary, orange peel and sugar until combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine barley, bell peppers, green onions and olives. Stir in mustard dressing and toss to coat well. Garnish and serve. (This tastes best when it's been refrigerated for a few hours to absorb all flavors.)

What's cooking in your kitchen?