Author Notes: Winter where I live in Finland is cold -- really cold. And the best way to brighten up your day, in my opinion, is to use gorgeous, bright-colored, fresh seasonal citrus fruit and earthy root vegetables that can chase any winter blues away. This recipe uses blood orange and slow-roasted parsnips and carrots combined with hearty cooked barley for a robust and satisfying salad. 

Blood Orange, Roasted Root Vegetable, and Barley Salad

Serves 4

• 1/3cup barley
• 1teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1large parsnip, peeled and cut into sticks
• 3medium carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
• 4tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Pepper, to taste
• 1teaspoon ground flaxseed
• 2green onions, chopped
• 1/2blood orange, juiced (do not discard the pulp)
• 1/2cup chopped almonds (or use almond meat leftover from making almond milk)
• 1/2blood orange, supremed, to garnish

1. Add the barley to a pot with 2 1/14 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer, covered, until the barley is tender and the water is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and drain off any excess water. This will make 2 cups.
2. Preheat the oven to 400º F (200º C). Place the parsnip and carrots on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until fork-tender and slightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. If you have over 1 cup of vegetables, reserve the rest in the refrigerator for your next salad. Set aside the vegetables you are using.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed and 3 teaspoons water and set aside to soak for at least 1 minute.
4. To assemble the salad, combine the green onions, orange juice, soaked flaxseed, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium-sized bowl and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the barley and chopped root vegetables and toss the whole mixture to combine thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl with the supremed orange as garnish.

https://food52.com/recipes/20600-blood-orange-roasted-root-vegetable-and-barley-salad