Black Bean and Barley Salad

This is great to make and keep in your refrigerator (for up to a week). Anytime you make a salad mix the black bean and barley salad into it and you have an instant dressing and a complete protein meal!

3/4 cup barley, uncooked
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Place 2 cups of of water with the uncooked barley into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer for 45 - 60 minutes. Combine lime juice and the next 8 ingredients in a jar. Cover tightly and shake well. Mix the beans and cooked barley into a bowl and pour the dressing over them. Stir and let marinate 8 hours in the refrigerator.

I made a salad with; lettuce, tomato, bacon, avocado, zucchini, chopped almonds and chopped onion. Then I mixed in a scoop of the black bean and barley salad. It was fantastic. Enjoy!