This Sunsugar Tomato, Barley and Kale Salad recipe from beloved Chicago-based yoga teacher Sara Strother is exactly the kind of thing we want to eat after a great yoga class. This vegan dish is filling, nutritious and can be eaten at room temp or straight out of the fridge. It’s food for your yoga mood. 

We’re big fans of Sara Strother’s yoga classes and her tasty recipes (she lived in Japan, so you’ll notice a macrobiotic influence in her dishes). Sara says that this salad is pretty accommodating, just like our yoga practice. “This salad goes great with a dry white wine,” she says. “You can add other vegetables or a stand up bean like a chickpea or cannellini or use a different variety of small tomato.”  

Sunsugar Tomato, Barley and Kale Salad

  • 1 1/3 c dry barley

  • White miso basil pesto (see below)

  • a few handfuls of Sunsugar tomatoes or another sweet cherry/grape sized tomato

  • 4 lacinato kale leaves

  • ¼-1/3 c minced red onion

  • Handful of parsley

  • *optional – chopped artichoke hearts, cooked chickpeas, Kalamata olives

White Miso Basil Pesto


  • 2-3 c packed fresh basil leaves

  • ¼ c sunflower seeds

  • ¼ c pignoli (pine nuts)

  • ½ lemon, juiced

  • ¼ c olive oil
  • 2 Tbsps heaped of white miso paste
  • 
¼-1/3 c umeboshi plum vinegar (Eden brand at Whole Foods in the Asian food section)

  • Sea salt to taste


Whiz all in a food processor.

Salad Assembly: 
Cook the barley in double the amount of water. Let cool completely before mixing with the other ingredients. Prepare the pesto. Chop your desired amount of tomatoes, onion, parsley and kale. Mix with the pesto, adding a little at a time to achieve your desired sauciness. Then add the cooled cooked barley. Lastly, add the ume and extra olive oil if necessary. 

About Sara:

Sara Strother is one of Chicago’s best yoga teachers. You’ll leave her class having learned something new—whether about yourself, your practice or your body. Her focus on alignment and her easy to understand cues will have you feeling new sensations in poses you thought you’d mastered years ago. If you’re in Chicago, don’t miss her Prana Pushers Live DJ Flow class at Yogaview on October 25. We’re also dreaming about her upcoming Xinalani Eco Retreat to Mexico this February