Psych evaluation is in order

It's officially summer! I am officially happy. This weekend's trip to the farm reignited my passion for eating fresh, healthful food, plus I had some vegetables in my fridge that were begging to be cooked.

The following recipe is a salad that is far from a boring green salad. You can add whatever veggies you like or have on hand, add fresh herbs, add grilled chicken, mix up the dressing, throw in lentils or wild rice -- go wild!

I have a brownie recipe for you all that I will post tomorrow. These brownies were so good that I am going to make another batch. Lord help me. I should never have introduced the evil temptress into my house because I went to bed entirely satiated from my tasty salad, but all I could think about were these damn brownies: WHITE CHOCOLATE BLUEBERRY BLONDIES. I am not even a sweet person. I would take potato chips over chocolate any day, but these brownies were, well, so sinfully delicious that they've trumped this post.

I feel badly for my salad now. Sorry salad. You were good, too. Not quite sinfully delicious, but certainly on my list of favorite salads.

And I think I'm losing it -- apologizing to a salad for my affection for brownies? I need coffee, stat . . . or perhaps a psych evaluation.

Barley kicks oatmeal's butt.

Texturally, taste and barley's used in beer.

mmmm, beer.

Try barley instead of oatmeal sometime;

you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Here's a quick tutorial on removing the tough ends from asparagus. Using two hands is much more efficient, but the camera didn't allow that luxury.

Nonetheless, bend the asparagus towards the end.

It will snap off at the juncture of yummy and tough.

Genius!

(I normally don't have tricolored fingernails, but I was waiting for a prescription to be filled yesterday and was amused by the nail polish isle).

Feta or goat cheese is great in this salad.

You could easily omit it, and this salad would be VEGAN!

Roasty toasty.

I took this photo at about nine o'clock. I love summer.

Lots of textures and flavors.

Basil.

Roasted vegetable and barley salad

inspired by 101cookbooks

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced

handful petite potatoes, halved

handful cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 bunch asparagus, rough ends removed

1 bunch green onions, sliced in half carefully

salad greens

1 cup barley

feta or goat cheese, crumbled

salad dressing:

1 tsp grainy mustard

1 shallot, minced

1 lemon, juiced and zested

2 tbs parmesan cheese

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

(The oil you use truly does make a difference. The last time I made this dressing I skimped on my oil and the dressing tasted like oil -- the other flavors were completely drowned out. Having one nice -- expensive -- bottle of olive oil in your pantry is well worth it for occasions just like this. People, if I can afford it, you can afford it.)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cook the barley according to the directions on the box and set aside once cooked. Because I am lazy and was hungry I cheated with the potatoes -- I boiled them in salted water for about 8 minutes before adding them to the roasting pan. Speeds things ups immensely.

Place the asparagus, squash and zucchini, tomatoes and potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 10-15 minutes. Throw in the green onions for the last five minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine all of the ingredients and stir vigorously to combine. Making dressing is an art -- you have to taste it! You may need more acid or more oil so feel free to add and adjust until it tastes right to you. Also, salt and pepper make everything taste better. (I usually double this dressing).

I've made this salad a couple of ways: combine everything (salad greens, roasted veggies, cooked barley, cheese and dressing) and mix. This works great for a big party because it will be eaten quickly and you don't have to be concerned with wilty greens. Last night I couldn't eat this entire salad myself so I placed some greens on a plate, combined the other ingredients and placed them on top. That way I have seasoned veggies ready to eat and salad greens that aren't sad and wilty. Whatever works for you!