For a new and exciting summer side dish, try this healthy Vegan Grilled Corn, Plum, and Avocado Grain Salad with walnuts and basil!

Nooooooooooooo. The inevitable has arrived, again. Like it does every year.

School starts next week. A full week before most of my teacher colleagues in the area. I don't know why our first day is before Labor Day this year, but it's alright. I'm not bitter or anything...

I refuse to let this whole work thing ruin the rest of the summer. I mean, technically Fall doesn't begin until late September. So let the celebration continue.

I'll be soaking up every ray of sun (unless it's too hot, then I'll be hiding inside with the central air). Spending every free moment outside with Olivia (she's obsessed with her water table). And eating tomatoes, corn, and stone fruit like it's my sole mission on this earth.

This Vegan Grilled Corn, Plum, and Avocado Grain Salad. It's fresh. It's healthy. It's packed with late-summer flavor. It's the perfect way to keep summer going with your family.

Can we get Asheley some recognition for being an amazing hand model in this photo? She literally just walked in the door from a full day at work and I was like... waittttttttt!!!! before you get changed into comfy clothes, hold these serving spoons!

Thankfully, she's always a good sport when I need help holding and pouring things for photos. So Asheley, ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?.

The healthy part in this summer vegan salad recipe is an important one. As I get back into school mode, I'm looking to get back to some healthy habits. The irregular schedule of summer always makes me make some pretty bad choices (ice cream all day, every day), so I'm looking forward to getting back on track with some healthy eating.

This salad is full of whole grains, in-season fruit and vegetables, herbaceous fresh basil, crunchy walnuts and a bold and bright vinaigrette. That's a recipe for summer success. Boom.

You can totally make this Vegan Grilled Corn, Plum, and Avocado Grain Salad gluten free as well, if needed. Just make sure that you pick a gluten-free grain. Pearl barley, farro, and pearl couscous are a few of my favorites for this salad, but my GF friends are gonna want to stick with something like rice, quinoa, or the like.

Vegan Grilled Corn, Plum, and Avocado Grain Salad

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Author: Chris Cockren
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: Serves 2-4 for lunch, 6-8 for side dish 1x

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Ingredients

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4 cups cooked pearl barley, pearl couscous, or farro, cooled to room temperature*
2 shallots, minced
2 avocados, chopped
2 plums, sliced**
2 ears corn, grilled and kernels removed
½ cup walnuts, chopped
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup loosely packed basil, chopped

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Instructions

Gently combine cooked grains, shallots, avocados, plums, corn kernels, and walnuts in a medium mixing bowl.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil with apple cider vinegar. Season generously with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir into grain salad until fully combined. Just before serving, toss in chopped basil. Devour.

Notes

*really, feel free to use any grain. Mix and match your favorites!
**feel free to substitute in any other in-season, perfectly ripe stone fruit (nectarines work great!)

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins

Vegan Grilled Corn, Plum, and Avocado Grain Salad

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Name: Vegan Grilled Corn, Plum, and Avocado Grain Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 4 cups cooked pearl barley, pearl couscous, or farro, cooled to room temperature*; 2 shallots, minced; 2 avocados, chopped; 2 plums, sliced**; 2 ears corn, grilled and kernels removed; 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped; 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 cup loosely packed basil, chopped