Mushroom barley salad

Chewy, fresh, and colorful, this grain and vegetable salad is a hearty side dish or a light lunch that you can further bulk up with chicken or shrimp. We use quick-cooking pearl barley, which cooks more quickly than hulled barley, to anchor this salad. Its nutty flavor pairs well with a variety of vegetables and its chewy texture makes it satisfying to bite into. (You can use hulled barley; it will just need to cook longer.) We’ve added in corn and cherry tomatoes, but you can substitute vegetables as the seasons change: Butternut squash would be delicious in the fall, while asparagus would be wonderful in the spring.