Name: California Barley Bowl with Lemony Yogurt Sauce
Yield: Serves 2, heartily
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups / 255 g cooked barley, still warm; 1 cup / 55 g bean sprouts, any variety (I like mung bean sprouts); 1/3 cup / 60 g crumbled Cotija cheese or queso fresco; 1/4 cup / 20 g sliced almonds, toasted; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 small ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced or sliced; Lemony Yogurt Sauce; Flaky salt; Freshly ground black pepper

Image may contain Plant Food Fruit Avocado and Produce

Photo by Claire Barboza

If you grew up in Northern California in the 1990s, you lived through the trend that was sprouts. From alfalfa sprouts to bean sprouts, they seemed to find their way into every green salad, sandwich, and omelet. This savory whole-grain breakfast bowl is inspired by those California days, with chunks of ripe avocado, crumbled Cotija cheese, toasty almonds, and a citrus-sparked yogurt sauce. While alfalfa sprouts were prevalent when I was growing up, today I try to branch out, using a tangle of colorful bean sprouts or more delicate radish or sunflower sprouts. These morning bowls couldn't be easier to prepare, but the barley does take a while to cook; I put a pot on the stove first thing in the morning so it'll be ready by the time I've had my coffee and prepped the other ingredients. Feel free to experiment with other grains, too. I've tried this with both quinoa and farro, and it's as wonderful with delicate grains as it is with heartier ones.

Morning Notes: Cotija cheese is popular in Mexican and Latin dishes. It's a firm, crumbly cheese made of cow's milk and is used so often because it's milder than feta or even goat cheese and softens with heat but doesn't fully melt. You can also use queso fresco if it's easier to find.

Make Ahead:

Cooking the barley the night before is a great time-saver. Then these bowls really only take a few minutes to put together.

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 2, heartily

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups / 255 g cooked barley, still warm

1 cup / 55 g bean sprouts, any variety (I like mung bean sprouts)

1/3 cup / 60 g crumbled Cotija cheese or queso fresco

1/4 cup / 20 g sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 small ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced or sliced

Lemony Yogurt Sauce

Flaky salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

In a small bowl, stir the barley, sprouts, cheese, almonds, and kosher salt together. Scoop into 2 individual bowls and top with the avocado and a few generous spoonfuls of yogurt sauce. Sprinkle with flaky salt and pepper and serve.

Reprinted with permission from Whole-Grain Mornings: New Breakfast Recipes to Span the Seasons by Megan Gordon. Copyright © 2013 by Megan Gordon; photographs copyright © 2013 by Clare Barboza. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. Megan Gordon is a food writer and recipe developer; she writes regularly for The Kitchn and on her own blog, A Sweet Spoonful. Her work has appeared in numerous national magazines, including Better Homes and Gardens and the Edible publications. Megan owns and runs a Seattle-based granola company, Marge, which is distributed nationally and has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal and Sunset magazine.