A salad to say "so long, winter"

I thought EatSimplyWell's idea for a late winter salad seemed good, but the more I read the recipe, the more substitutions (and additions) I wanted to make.  So here's my version, by now quite heavily altered, for these early spring days best spent using up the end of the winter produce.

Barley and Root Vegetable Salad with Citrus

Serves 2-4

⅓ cup barley

1 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin sticks

½ red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch squares

2 beets, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon ground flax seed

2 green onions, chopped

3 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup grapefruit or orange juice

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

2 clementines, peeled and divided into segments

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.

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Place the beets 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 20 minutes, then add the carrots and pepper. Continue to roast until beets are fork-tender and everything is slightly browned, another 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, combine the flax seed and 3 teaspoons water and set aside to soak for at least 1 minute. Then add the green onions, juice, ginger, soy sauce, cilantro, and the remaining tablespoon 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 and sprinkle the clementine segments over the top.