Mediterranean barley salad

There's always room for some Mediterranean food. It's healthy and light but flavorful. I paired our favorite Moroccan Chicken with this new discovery, a Mediterranean style barley salad, an idea I got from the Food Network. The addition of barley is the interesting touch. A healthy grain with many health benefits, barley made a good substitute for pasta in this salad and I think it worked. Now that spring is finally here and before we know it, it will be summertime, this is a great salad idea for picnics as well. It will go together well with grilled picnic food. It may be made ahead and refrigerated to give the flavors some time to blend together better.

MEDITERRANEAN BARLEY SALAD

1 cup barley (pearl or flakes)
2 cups chicken broth or water
1/2 cup 1/2" diced cucumbers (English or seedless may be used)
1/2 cup 1/2" diced tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced black olives

Simmer barley in chicken broth for about 20 minutes until cooked.
Remove from heat, drain and set aside. Combine the cooked barley
with the rest of the veggies and toss with dressing (below).
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

DRESSING:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
pinch of sugar if lemon is too tart
1/8 to 1/4 cup olive oil

Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad then toss to combine.