Barley Salad with Tofu, Mushrooms and Pineapple

·
·
2 min read
Summary

This dish comes together perfectly with just a bit of planning ahead. Make the barley and dressing on a day when you have a bit more time and store it away so that you simply have one step when it comes to making the dish — baking the tofu, mushrooms and pineapple. Looking ahead at recipes to see what can easily be made in advance is a huge time saver!

Yields4 ServingsPrep Time20 minsCook Time40 minsTotal Time1 hr

Barley Salad with Tofu, Mushrooms and Pineapple

Ingredients

 1 cup organic barley (cooked)
Tofu, Mushrooms, and Pineapple
 14 oz organic tofu (firm, drained and cut into 1” cubes)
 16 oz mushrooms (cremini, button, or portobello, chopped)
 2 cups red bell pepper (or orange or yellow, chopped)
 2 cups pineapple (1” cubes)
 ½ cup organic tamari (reduced-sodium, or coconut aminos)
Dressing
 1 cup cashews (soaked in room temp water for 4 hours or hot water for 30 minutes)
 2 small garlic cloves
 ½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
 ¼ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
 ½ tsp onion powder
 ¼ tsp salt (optional)
 ¼ tsp ground black pepper (optional)
 water (as needed)
Salad
 8 cups organic red leaf lettuce (or leafy greens of choice)
 ½ cup green onions (sliced)
 crushed red pepper (optional) to taste
 4 lemon wedges

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2

In a medium stovetop pan, combine barley and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and let cook for 45–50 minutes or until the barley is tender. Drain, if needed, and set aside.

3

Meanwhile, make the tofu, mushrooms, and pineapple: Add the cubed tofu, mushrooms, red peppers and pineapple to a large baking dish. Add the tamari, stir well and bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway in between. (The tofu will bake, but it will not be crispy when cooked with the other veggies. See Chef’s Notes if you want crispy tofu.)

4

Make the dressing: Add the cashews, orange juice, lemon juice, onion powder and salt and black pepper, if using, to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. You should reach a dressing consistency, but if you prefer a thinner consistency then add 1–2 tablespoons of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

5

Assemble your salad: Divide the greens between four plates. Top ¾ cup barley between each plate. Divide the tofu and mushroom mixture between four plates.

6

Add sliced green onions and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper, if using, on top of each plate.

7

Drizzle the dressing over top of each plate.

8

Serve each plate with a lemon wedge.

Chef's Notes

Substitutions
Instead of barley, use farro, brown rice, quinoa, or buckwheat.

Use your favorite leafy green in place of red leaf lettuce.

Nut-free
Use sunflower seeds in place of cashews.

Make the tofu crispy
Instead of cooking the tofu with the vegetables, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the tofu out evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping the tofu halfway through.

Prep Ahead
Make the dressing ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Make the barley ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 30 days.

Storage
Store leftover barley and tofu mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Note, that if you use leafy greens in the salad, the leafy greens will wilt, therefore, assemble only what you think you’ll need for one meal.

Ingredients

 1 cup organic barley (cooked)
Tofu, Mushrooms, and Pineapple
 14 oz organic tofu (firm, drained and cut into 1” cubes)
 16 oz mushrooms (cremini, button, or portobello, chopped)
 2 cups red bell pepper (or orange or yellow, chopped)
 2 cups pineapple (1” cubes)
 ½ cup organic tamari (reduced-sodium, or coconut aminos)
Dressing
 1 cup cashews (soaked in room temp water for 4 hours or hot water for 30 minutes)
 2 small garlic cloves
 ½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
 ¼ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
 ½ tsp onion powder
 ¼ tsp salt (optional)
 ¼ tsp ground black pepper (optional)
 water (as needed)
Salad
 8 cups organic red leaf lettuce (or leafy greens of choice)
 ½ cup green onions (sliced)
 crushed red pepper (optional) to taste
 4 lemon wedges

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2

In a medium stovetop pan, combine barley and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and let cook for 45–50 minutes or until the barley is tender. Drain, if needed, and set aside.

3

Meanwhile, make the tofu, mushrooms, and pineapple: Add the cubed tofu, mushrooms, red peppers and pineapple to a large baking dish. Add the tamari, stir well and bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway in between. (The tofu will bake, but it will not be crispy when cooked with the other veggies. See Chef’s Notes if you want crispy tofu.)

4

Make the dressing: Add the cashews, orange juice, lemon juice, onion powder and salt and black pepper, if using, to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. You should reach a dressing consistency, but if you prefer a thinner consistency then add 1–2 tablespoons of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

5

Assemble your salad: Divide the greens between four plates. Top ¾ cup barley between each plate. Divide the tofu and mushroom mixture between four plates.

6

Add sliced green onions and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper, if using, on top of each plate.

7

Drizzle the dressing over top of each plate.

8

Serve each plate with a lemon wedge.

Barley Salad with Tofu, Mushrooms and Pineapple