• Follow the instructions for cooking barley in your instant pot, then set aside to cool down to room temperature. Barley needs to cook to a chewy texture for best results.
  2 cups barley
• Place a pan over medium heat and add 2 teaspoon olive oil. As the oil heats up, add chopped walnuts and a pinch of salt. Toast the walnuts for 2 minutes.
  ¾ cup walnut
• In a large bowl, combine the cooled barley, chopped bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, and toasted walnuts. (Add half of the cooked barley - if you prefer more then add the remaining barley)
  1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 10 oz cherry tomatoes
• To prepare salad dressing, whisk together the dressing ingredients: lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
  2 tablespoon olive oil, salt to taste, ¾ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Gently add the dressing to the salad and give it a good mix.
• Garnish with fresh parsley, and lemon zest and serve immediately or chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving for an even more flavorful salad.
  1 tablespoon parsley

Instant pot barley

• Place the barley in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for a few seconds to remove any dust or debris.
• Mix the pearl barley with 4 cups of water or broth, and a pinch of salt (if using) in the inner pot.
• Close the lid and make sure the valve is set to "Sealing."
• Set the Instant Pot to manual or pressure cook mode for 20 minutes on high pressure.
• Once the timer goes off, allow for a natural release of pressure for at least 10 minutes before using the quick release option to relieve the remaining pressure.
• Open the lid carefully and fluff the barley with a fork. I like to let it sit for a few minutes before serving to allow any excess moisture to be absorbed.
• Enjoy perfectly cooked barley after it cools down to room temperature.

Stovetop method to cook barley

• Rinse 1 cup of pearl barley in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water.
• In a medium-sized pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil.
• Add the rinsed barley to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid.
• Let the barley simmer for 30-35 minutes until it's tender but still has a slight bite.
• Drain any excess water and let the barley cool down before adding it to your salad.