Brown Rice & Barley Salad with Spiced Chickpeas, Sweet Potato & Currants

Source: The Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook – Brand-Miller et al

Ingredients:
140g (2/3 cup) brown rice
160g (2/3 cup) pearl barley
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon tumeric
1 tablespoon olive oil
250g (1 medium) sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
45g (1/4 cup) currants
50g (1/4 cup) lightly toasted slivered almonds
2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups rocket leaves
1 ½ cups baby rocket leaves

Yoghurt Tahini Dressing
125ml (1/2 cup) low fat natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon tahini
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Cook the brown rice and pearl barley in 2 separate large pans of boiling water, with one teaspoon of cumin added to each pan. Cook stirring occasionally for 25 minutes or until al dente (pearl barley will take a little longer). Drain well.
3.  Meanwhile, place the sweet potato, onion, and chick peas in a large bowl. Mix the remaining cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric and the olive oil together then add to the bowl with the sweet potato and toss to evenly coat.
4. Place the sweet potato mixture in a single layer on the prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes or until sweet potato is just tender.
5. Toss the rice, barley, sweet potato, chickpeas, currants, almonds, rocket, baby rocket and coriander together in a large bowl. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. To make the dressing, mix all ingredients together until well combined. Serve the salad drizzled with a little of the dressing.