A grain salad is always a good solution to cooking on hot summer days. Why? Cooking up your grain in the early morning means the kitchen will be cool throughout the day. I love experimenting with different rice varieties, wheat berries and cracked wheat to use as the base for cooling summer salads. I particularly like the toothsome, nutty quality of farro (an ancient strain of wheat that looks like plump barley kernels).

You can find farro in health food stores, gourmet food stores and now in many supermarkets. Don't get it confused with spelt. Spelt sometimes is called farro but tastes different and takes much longer to cook. It's best to check the package for what specific farro you buy. For this recipe I used Bob's Red Mill organic farro.

Higher in protein than pasta or rice, farro can be used in stews, soups, salads or as a substitute in rice dishes like risotto. Farro (pronounced "farr-oh") has recently has become a grain that Americans love to eat. An added plus is that farro is recommended for diabetics. You can have fun with different variations on this salad. Sometimes I'll add sliced peaches and sliced burrata or mozzarella cheese and finish it with a drizzle of balsamic syrup. Feel free to mix up the vegetables called for in the tasty tips below.

The following recipe is a variation on tabouli, the Middle Eastern cracked wheat salad traditionally made with olive oil, lemon, mint, tomato and loads of parsley. This recipe features a few different ingredients, including cucumber, radishes, chives and basil.

While some recipes insist on soaking the farro before cooking I have found that the method below works beautifully and will have a distinctive al dente crunchiness. Serve this with a chilled soup on a hot summer night for a light and satisfying dinner.

Tasty tips

--Add a cup of cooked vegetables like chopped green beans, squash, corn, asparagus tips, broccoli or cauliflower florets.

--For a more substantial salad, add a cup of cooked, shredded chicken or cold, diced shrimp.

--Feel free to double this recipe.

--Cooked corn is an excellent addition.

Farro Vegetable Salad

Serves 4

For the salad:

1 cup whole wheat farro (I used Bob's Red Mill organic Farro)

3 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup finely diced European cucumber

3/4 cup finely diced radishes

3/4 cup peeled and finely diced carrots

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons finely chopped basil

For the dressing:

1/2 cup favorite vinaigrette

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 pound goat or feta cheese, crumbled

To garnish:

Parsley leaves

1. Rinse and drain the farro in a fine-mesh colander set in a sink. Transfer the farro into a large saucepan, cover with water, add salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered until tender, about 30 minutes. The farro should have a little bite to it. Drain again in the colander, and place in a serving bowl. Cool to room temperature.

2. Add the red onion, cucumber, radishes and carrots. Mix with a two-pronged fork, adding the parsley, chives and basil.

3. To make the dressing, combine the vinaigrette, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until incorporated. Taste for seasoning.

4. Pour the dressing over the farro, and mix with a fork to fluff the farro. Carefully add the goat cheese or feta cheese. Taste for seasoning, and garnish with parsley leaves. Chill for at least 3 hours. Serve chilled and garnish just before serving.

Advance preparation: The recipe can be prepared four hours ahead, covered and refrigerated until serving.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)