Portabello Mushrooms Stuffed with Barley

Ingredients:

For the stuffing:

Chopped fresh garlic, to taste
About 1/3 to 1/2 cup of cooked hulled barley per mushroom cap (original recipe used quinoa)
A handful of yellow and redgrape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered depending upon size
1 scallion (spring onion) per person, sliced
A handful of chopped bell peppers
A sprinkle of cranberries
A sprinkle of toasted pine nuts
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
Fresh chopped parsley, basil or mint

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil the bottom of a baking or gratin dish.
Gently clean off the mushroom caps; slice off the stems and using a sharp teaspoon carefully scrape out the gills. Place the caps in the baking dish. Drizzle with a scant amount of olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Season with a little sea salt and pepper.
Pre-bake the mushrooms for about 15 minutes to soften a bit.
In a skillet, heat a little olive oil and toss in the garlic. Stir for a minute. Add in the cooked quinoa, tomatoes, scallions, cranberries, bell peppers, pine nuts. Season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper. Stir to combine. Moisten with more olive oil, as needed. Gently heat through, briefly. Remove from heat. Add in the fresh chopped herbs.
Stuff each mushroom cap. Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, till the mushroom cap is tender. Tent with foil to keep it moist.You can also assemble these ahead of time, and refrigerate.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes or more, as needed.