I grew up on Tuna Macaroni Salad.  It was a staple all summer long and my mother made it with Miracle Whip Salad Dressing, thinned with a bit of heavy cream.

I loved it.

I was a kid and I was outside playing all day.  I could eat lots of it.

Once I had my own kitchen, I still made Tuna Salad, but used ‘pasta’ rather than macaroni and mayonnaise (home-made if I had the time) rather than Miracle Whip.

I was young and I rode my bike to work.  I could eat lots of it.

Flash forward to a more health conscious life style.

I switched from regular pasta to whole-grain pasta and finally, to whole grains.

I can’t totally give up the mayonnaise, but I discovered that if I substitute yogurt for half of it, the taste is the same but it’s a much healthier dressing.

I still ride my bike, exercise and do a bit of weight training,,,, so I can still eat lots of it.

I’m just happier knowing it’s better for me, as well.

Tuna Barley Salad 

Preparation and cooking time:  30 minutes

 Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup (3oz, 90gr) quick-cooking barley
• 1 1/3 cup (11oz, 340ml) chicken stock
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 9oz (270gr) tuna
• 2 ribs celery
• 1 cup peas   frozen, thawed, no sauce
• 1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbs fresh, snipped chives
• 2 tbs fresh, snipped basil
• Creamy Dressing
• 2 tbs Dijon-style mustard
• 4 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
• 4 tbs mayonnaise

The creamy dressing is part mayonnaise, part Greek yogurt, making it lower in fat

 Instructions:

• Put barley and chicken stock in a small saucepan. 
• Cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes for quick cooking barley.
• Cook eggs. When done, cool, peel and roughly chop.  
• Thaw peas by running under hot water; drain well. 
• Open and drain tuna  
• Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
• Roughly chop celery. 
• Snip chives and basil. 
• Make dressing: Put all ingredients into a bowl and stir well to combine.
• To finish:  Put barley into a large bowl. 
• Add tuna, eggs, peas, tomatoes, celery, herbs, dressing and stir well to combine.

I use quick-cooking barley – not quite as healthy as the heavy-duty, long-cooking kind but I’ve discovered something about myself: I’ll eat 5 times more barley or brown rice if I use the quick-cooking kind than the regular kind.  I’ve decided frequency makes up for whatever bit is lost.

For more recipes with grains and other salads with home-made dressings, see Easy Gourmet Cook Book, Salads.

For weekly menus featuring healthy, from scratch recipes, see Easy Weekly Menus.