Mushroom & Barley Bowls

Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the barley and cook, uncovered, 28 to 30 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. 

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Place the shiitake mushrooms in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of hot water; set aside to rehydrate at least 10 minutes. Cut the cremini mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Roughly chop the peppers. 

Reserving the mushroom liquid, drain the rehydrated mushrooms; transfer to a cutting board and finely chop. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the cremini mushroom pieces in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Add the chopped garlic and sliced white bottoms of the scallions. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped kale and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the kale is slightly wilted. Add the chopped rehydrated mushrooms and reserved mushroom liquid (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the liquid has cooked off. Add the coconut aminos. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a bowl. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan. 

In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Crack the eggs into the pan, keeping them separate; season with salt and pepper. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Turn off the heat. 

To the pot of cooked barley, add the chopped peppers and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Serve the finished barley topped with the cooked vegetables, fried eggs, cheese, and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!