Green Chicken Enchiladas

Enchiladas are my husbands favorite meal, and they have recently become a favorite of mine as well. When we were living in New Zealand, it was hard to find enchilada sauce, and the cost of other ingredients made this meal impossible to make. Thankfully, Dad thoughtfully put together a package of tortillas, beans, enchilada sauce and instant margarita mix in a box and even included a $20 for the chicken, green onions, cheese and cilantro (called rocket or coriander in New Zealand-no wonder I couldn't find it at New World!) and shipped it half way around the world to us. We followed Dad's enclosed recipe and enjoyed a yummy Mexican dinner for the first time in many months- it was delicious.

So this recipe was inspired by the one Dad sent us, but includes cilantro because that is the way my Sis makes hers, and ever since having that way, there was no going back!


Green Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

6 large flour tortillas
2 chicken breasts
Mexican blend cheese
enchilada sauce (our favorite is green Las Palmas)
black olives, sliced
green onions, chopped
cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Boil and shred chicken breasts. Add about 1/2- 1 cup of sauce and mix together.

Prepare the olives, onions and cilantro.

In each tortilla, spread a few spoonfuls of the chicken mixture, then sprinkle some olives, onions and cilantro, to taste. Top with a handful of cheese and roll up. Make as many as you want. Then cover with sauce to taste and bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted, the edges are brown and the sauce is bubbling.

Serve with Spanish rice and refried beans. Enjoy!

Mushroom Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

I love white sauce lasagna's and this one is my new favorite! Hope you like it as much as we did!


Mushroom Spinach Alfredo Lasagna
inspired by this recipe

Ingredients:


6 oz fresh spinach, chopped (or you can thaw frozen and pat dry)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
8 oz ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt (this makes it pretty flavorful, use less if desired)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 jar of Alfredo sauce, divided (Newman's Own is our favorite)
1/2 box lasagna noodles
1 egg


Directions:


Boil lasagna noodles according to package directions for al dente preparation- be sure not to overcook them. Add some vegetable oil to your boiling water to prevent sticking. 

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Combine spinach, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, egg, salt and pepper in large bowl; set aside.

• Spread 1 cup Alfredo sauce in 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle extra cheese if desired. 

• Layer 4 lasagna noodles, then 1 cup Alfredo sauce and 1/2 the ricotta mixture; repeat. Top with remaining 4 noodles and Alfredo Sauce, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

You can double this recipe and use a  9 x 13- inch pan as well. Enjoy!

Blue Kalamata Pizza

This is my favorite pizza recipe. It's cheesy, tart, zesty and downright delicious! It's super light compared with it's saucy counterparts and I love the thin crust with these toppings.

Blue Kalamata Pizza

Ingredients:

Mozzarella cheese, shredded (1.5-2 cups)
Blue cheese, crumbled (1/4-1/2 cup)
Kalamata olives, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
Purple onion, sliced
Olive oil
Pizza Crust

Cover your hands in olive oil and knead your pizza dough. Spread it out on your pizza pan and add the mozzarella cheese, blue cheese crumbles, olives, mushrooms and onion. Bake at 375 F until golden brown. Does it get any easier!? Share and enjoy with a yummy white wine!

Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust

  We have given up on eating out since moving to Christchurch. In the US, the options are endless, it's cheap and there is a drive thru at all of them. Convenience, Options, Cheap= US Fast Food. Why do I miss Taco Bell so much? Oh man, I could use a bean burrito with extra red sauce and a 7 layer burrito. Alas, our least favorite fast food options are available here: KFC, Mc Donald's and Burger King. And they all cost us $20+ (!!!!) to eat one meal! In short, Fast Food is just not appealing here. That's a blessing in disguise. We never ate much in the US, but it was there when we wanted it. Anyways. We've learned to make our own food for everything we love from take-away (sushi, burgers, chicken sandwiches, subs, breakfast foods, etc.) and we think homemade is the way to go. My only snag was with pizza. We tried a few less than stellar pizza shops and wondered how people got by on those shops and were about to forget about a thin crust pizza ever being available again. Then we discovered La Porchetta. It wasn't stellar, but it was close. But it was also $15 for a pizza with a handful of veggies on top. I've tried a few recipes with no luck copying the crispy, thin crust. Until now....YES!

Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust

recipe from here.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup hot water
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Dissolve yeast and sugar in hot water. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add flour and salt, then mix gently with a wooden spoon. Flour your hands and mix the dough well. To make one large pizza, just press the dough into a pizza pan, top with desired toppings and bake at 190C (375F) for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

I made 3 personal pizzas from the dough. One large, one medium and one small. I'm so glad to have discovered this recipe- thin crust pizza was the last take away we were unable to replace at home... well now I can make it at home in just about as much time as it takes to order and pick it up, and it's better for us and cheaper to boot.

David had grapeseed oil, tomato and basil. Next time we'll use fresh basil... yum!

James had grapeseed oil, tomato and black olive.

Mine had blue cheese mixed into the dough, and I topped it with grapeseed oil, mushrooms and kalamata olives. Delicious!

Miniature Banana Nut Muffins

I had a few bananas that were needing to be used up so I decided to make some banana nut muffins. I bought a mini muffin tin at the Warehouse the other day and was excited to use it. It was on sale for just $10, so I snagged it to make mini muffins for my little guy. Turns out they are fun to eat for adults too! It's nice getting to eat more of them, rather than just one big muffin, and having smaller muffins means less baking time! An added bonus: you'll get more of the toasty outside as well! 

mini morsels

Miniature Banana Nut Muffins
makes 48 mini muffins


Ingredients: 

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pure cane sugar 
1/2 cup olive oil (you can use butter, but I took this opportunity to get some nutritious plant fats into our baking)
1 egg
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Grease your baking pan. You can use a mini muffin tin like me, or you can also make one 9x5 bread loaf, 12 regular muffins or 6 jumbo muffins. 

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt. Sift or use a whisk and mix well.
Add oil, egg, bananas, vanilla and milk and mix until just combined. Add nuts, if desired.

my little boy loves to help in the kitchen. especially (only?) if I'm baking! turns out, it's challenging making banana muffins with a little monkey nearby- he ate half of the first banana. 

Fill muffin tin to the top so that you have a nice cap on top when they are done. Bake until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean, about 15 minutes. If the tops start to brown before the muffins are baked through, move to the bottom rack. Allow to cool at least 5 minutes before serving, and enjoy!

does it get any cuter than this!?

Is it bad that we have already consumed half of the first batch? Let's see... 12 mini's = 6 regular/ 3 people = 2 each. Sigh... not so bad! They're simply irresistible!

Zucchini Slice (Quiche)

I made this quiche this morning and it was so easy! Preparation took less than 15 minutes. After picking my husband up from an early morning class, we came home and I threw this in the oven to bake. 30 minutes later, we enjoyed brunch! He rated this 10.5 stars out of 10. That means it's a keeper- and good enough to share with you! Next time, I plan to add broccoli and tomatoes as well. What a wonderful veggie filled way to start your day!

Zucchini Slice (Quiche)
Serves 6-8
recipe adapted from About Face

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper (capsicum), chopped
2 cups grated zucchini (courgette)
1 medium carrot, grated
1/2 cup cheese, grated (I used mild/cheddar)
5 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 180 C or 350 F (160 C if fan forced).

Combine dry ingredients in a large glass bowl, then add other ingredients and mix well.

Pour into a greased pie plate and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown on top, and set in the middle. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy! And be sure to let me know if you try it!

Mouthwatering Doughnut Muffins

I found this recipe on Meghan's blog here (go to her blog for drool worthy pictures) a while ago and we have enjoyed these muffins several times already. I've made miniature muffins and found that they are the best because you get more sugary-cinnamon coating, of course! Big or small, they are perfect with a cup of coffee. My little guy enjoys them so much that he is responsible for consuming 4 of them in two days.

Doughnut Muffins

Ingredients for the muffins:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

For the coating:
1/4 -1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350F or 180 C degrees and grease a muffin tin.
2.Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
3.Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine.

4.Bake at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes. While muffins are baking, melt butter in a small bowl. In another small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

5.Shake muffins out of the muffin tin while the muffins are still hot.

6.Dip muffins in the melted butter and then into the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool.

Easy Home-Made Chicken Pot Pie

Last night, I made my first ever, home made chicken pot pie! It was so much fun to make and it was delicious. We thought it was very similar to Marie Callender's frozen pot pies (which are decadent and amazing, if you ask us). This was the first time I made a pie crust using oil, and I'll admit I was nervous. But I forgot to read the entire recipe for the butter crust and it required over 4 hours in the refrigerator. So this recipe was a dinner-saver! Thankfully, it was flaky, delicious and easy as pie!

Here's the recipe:

Pie Crust: (make two batches- one for the top and one for the bottom)
recipe from All Recipes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk

Mix flour, sugar and salt. Then add oil and milk. Form a ball, then flatten into pie plate or casserole dish. Try to cover the sides up to the top of the pan.

Pot Pie Filling:

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup milk or water
2.5 cups frozen veggies (we used corn, peas, green beans and carrots- next time, I'll add chopped potatoes)

In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil and add rosemary. Add chicken and cook through. Add the soup, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, thyme and milk or water. Mix well. Add veggies and cook until bubbling.

Pour into pie/casserole dish and cover with top crust. Using a fork or your fingers, go along the outer edge of the dish and press the crust onto the dish. Using a knife, make a few X marks along the top of the crust, to allow ventilation.

Bake on the lowest rack in your oven at 375 F or 190 C for 30-45 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and serve.


*Tip*:
Since the crust recipe is rather doughy and crumbly, it will be difficult to form the top crust and successfully transfer it to the top of the dish. What worked for me was this:

Take your ball of dough, and place it between two pieces of plastic wrap that are longer than your dish. Stretch the dough out into the shape of your dish using the protection of the plastic wrap to avoid breaks in the dough. Once the size is right, pull the top plastic wrap off, carefully life the dough by holding the ends of the bottom plastic wrap and quickly flip it onto the top of your dish. Move into place and trim up the excess dough. If your dough falls in the filling, just patch it up using the excess dough. You can see in my pictures that on the right side, there is a patch job. :)

My husband's bowl:

My bowl: I like the crust mixed into the filling!

Leftovers!

Our Favorite Pizza Recipe

Many years ago, I stumbled upon this recipe and it has been our go-to pizza crust ever since. I can't really say that I think it tastes like Papa John's crust, but it is both chewy and crunchy, so it's a keeper. I always follow the recipe given (alternating honey and sugar, depending on our preference- both are good), but I make one pizza out of it, usually in a 9x13 cookie sheet. Makes it extra fluffy! Add your favorite sauce and toppings and dig in!

Our favorite classic toppings: black olives, purple onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and fresh tomatoes!

PS.
I still can't get over the fact that the Pizza Hut's here serve lamb and mint jelly pizzas...
So thankful for home-made! :)

Southern Style Buttermilk Biscuits

This morning I was craving buttermilk biscuits, so after a quick search I found this recipe and got right to work in the kitchen. These are so easy to make and they are delicious right out of the oven. We ate them with bacon, egg and cheese. Total comfort food and perfect when paired with coffee to warm up a cold and rainy morning.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

• I'm not sure if "muffin" is the right thing to call these buggers.... they're something of a cross between a cupcake and a brownie, in my opinion. But muffins they are! 
• These decadent muffins were dreamed up last night after craving a double chocolate muffin from Muffin Break. I won't claim that they're as good as MB, but they are almost, and that's enough for me since I made it from stuff I had on hand in the cupboard! Inspired by 3 different recipes I found online, as I was quite surprised no one had come up with a copy cat version for the Muffin Break gem. These were more dense and less fluffy, and went perfectly with our home made (instant) flat whites as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 100 grams butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl. 
2. Melt butter over low heat. 
3. Combine egg, milk, sour cream and vanilla; then add the melted butter and mix well. 
4. Add the flour mixture and mix until batter is smooth. 
5. Add chocolate chips. 
6. Scoop 1/4 cup batter into greased muffin tin and bake fan forced at 200 C (about 400F) for 10-12 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Indulge!

edited to add: I'm linking up with Sweet as Sugar Cookies "Sweets for a Saturday" linky party. Click the button for more sweet treat ideas!

Practically Perfect Pancakes

Practically Perfect Pancakes

We love pancakes in this house. My little guy eats hotcakes like they're going out of style, so I generally make a double batch and refrigerate the extras for weekday breakfasts. When I first made these, my husband said they were better than (or as good as) Strawn's Eat Shop which is a huge compliment. Strawn's pancakes are Louisiana famous... they're big, they're fluffy, they're sweet and salty, they're about the best pancakes we'd had, up until this recipe. Hands down, these are the best fluffy pancakes ever made in our home. Serve with a side of bacon and pig out! :D

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups white flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar (brown is essential to making them "perfect")
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 teaspoons baking powder (yes, 6 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

 In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs (by hand) for about a minute. Then add milk and oil and beat for another minute until smooth. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well, and add to the egg mixture. Using a wooden spoon, mix until a smooth but slightly lumpy batter forms. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto a greased skillet over medium high heat. Cook until cake begins to bubble, then flip and cook for another 45 seconds or so. Stacking the cakes as you go keeps them warm until it's time to eat. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

My lovely sister introduced me to this recipe and I am officially hooked! What could be yummier than the combination of oats, pumpkin and pecans?

photo courtesy of my niece, Holly.

Oatmeal:
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon milled flax
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice & 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon butter, softened
3/4-1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup milk (we used almond - use your favorite!)

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 teaspoon softened butter
2 tablespoon brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375° and grease 4 individual ramekins - then set them aside. If you don't have ramekins, you can use any oven safe dish.

Combine ingredients and mix well. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins or spoon the entire mixture into an oven safe dish. If using ramekins, place the them on a baking sheet (this makes it easier to get it in and out of the oven) and bake for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the topping.

After the oatmeal has baked for 10 minutes, remove and divide the topping evenly over each one, then bake for an additional 7 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

I soaked the oats the second time I made this recipe and the result was much creamier and softer. If you prefer firm oats, make it according to the recipe above. If you want them soft, soak the oats in 1 cup of milk overnight and then continue as directed above, but be sure to bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the mixture reaches desired consistency. It will jiggle slightly in the middle until it cools, then it will be firm.

Enjoy! Check out some other yummy recipes at my Sissy's blog here: Home and Lovin' It!

Vanishing Vegan Oatmeal Blueberry Craisin Cookies

I was grocery shopping last week when I discovered "Blueberry Juice Infused Cranberries" from the makers of Craisins. They look a bit like fruit gushers, only much healthier, so I couldn't resist. I bought a bag of them, and had planned on putting them in my oatmeal for breakfast. 

That is, until I set out to make cookies earlier this evening and my husband asked for his favorite: Oatmeal Raisin, but this time, Oatmeal CRaisin! He came up with the idea to make these, and at first I wasn't convinced that they were going to be good, but after about 7 minutes in the oven, our house started smelling like heaven on earth. The combination of oats, sugar, blueberry, cranberry and dark chocolate is incredible. 

The recipe is Vegan, and it was actually our first attempt at baking Vegan cookies. I love using flax as an egg replacer, and while I was nervous as to how it would work out in this recipe at first, the final results scream success! Even if you're not Vegan, try using a flax egg! Flax is wonderful for you! Learn more about how great flax is here.

Vanishing Vegan Oatmeal Blueberry Craisin Cookies

recipe adapted from Quaker by David

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Earth Balance
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 flax egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup blueberry infused Craisins
1/2 cup Ghiradelli chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F.
Beat together Earth Balance and sugars until creamy.
Add flax egg and vanilla and beat well.
Lick the beaters. (if you're using a flax egg)
Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt until well blended. Add to the sugar mixture and mix well.
Stir in oats, Craisins and chocolate chips and mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow to cool slightly and enjoy!

meet the crunchy softies: chewy and gooey. they're crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.

the best thing about baking Vegan is feeling 100% carefree while your little one licks the beaters.

Success!

Portabella Cap Burgers

3 years ago, I went Vegetarian for 2 weeks, because my Aunt IL had inspired me to. Obviously, it didn't last long that time around, and the worst part about it all was that I made that change while we were visiting family in San Diego, CA, a vacation hot spot with endless dining options. My coping mechanism was that I stayed out of meat-eries... I even denied myself In N Out! So when David and I went out to dinner with David's Mom at the Karl Strauss Brewery in Carlsbad, I had no idea what I was going to order. Luckily for me, they had a Portabella Burger on the menu and it was love at first bite.

Oddly enough, that was the first and last time I had eaten a mushroom cap burger... until Lauren came out. She had mentioned that she liked them, so when I saw them at Target, I added them to our meal plan and they have since become a family favorite. This recipe is super quick and easy!

Portabella Cap Burgers

Ingredients You'll Need:

Mushroom Caps (I use Monterey Mushroom Portabella Caps (sold at our Super Target). They contain 100% of your daily value of Vitamin D!
Balsamic Vinaigrette, for marinade (make your own or use salad dressing)
Buns
Avocado
Purple Onions (caramelized or raw)
Lettuce
Tomato

Directions:

Place mushroom caps in a shallow bowl with 1-2 cups of marinade, depending on the number of caps & your taste preference. 
Allow to marinate for 15-20 minutes. I'm sure these would be great on the grill, but I used the stove top method. If you're doing the same, heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add some of the marinade. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes, then flip and allow to cook until tender. Texture preference is unique to each individual, so cook for as long or as little as you'd like; there's no risk of under-cooking a mushroom! :)

Serve with your choice of toppings and french fries. Enjoy!

Late Summer Vegetable Tian

A tian is traditionally served as a side dish for grilled meats, but it also shines like a star in its role as main course. Served alongside a hearty whole grain, this makes a light but satisfying dinner, the kind that are best served on warm Summer evenings. Enjoy with a chilled white wine for a refreshing experience. :)

Late Summer Vegetable Tian

recipe adapted from Vegetarian Suppers by Deborah Madison (I highly recommend this cookbook!)

Ingredients You'll Need:

1/4 cup olive oil
3 bell peppers, preferably red, orange and yellow, sliced in strips
1 large onion, sliced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/2 cup sherry or dry white wine
6 plum tomatoes
1 medium sized eggplant, skin removed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 green zucchinis, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 sprigs of thyme
1/4 lemon, seeds removed, sliced
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Oil a shallow gratin dish. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wide skillet. Add the peppers, onion and 2 thyme sprigs. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a little pepper and cook over medium high heat until the vegetables begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Work in the tomato paste, then add the wine, mix well (Be careful with the wine vapors over the high heat- they can be incapacitating!) and allow to simmer until a syrupy sauce forms. Meanwhile, fill a small pot with water and bring to a boil. You will also need to fill a small bowl with cold water, then set it next to the boiling pot. Spread the vegetable mixture into the oiled dish. 
2. Drop the tomatoes two at a time into the pot of boiling water for 15-30 seconds or so, then drop them into the bowl of cold water. After 10 seconds or so, pick one up, slip off the skin (you may need to start the peeling process with the edge of a sharp knife) and continue until all the tomatoes have been peeled. Then, slice them and set aside.
3. Arrange the sliced tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and squash over the pepper mixture, overlapping them either carefully or haphazardly, whichever is your style, making a fairly uniform layer in either case. Tuck the remaining thyme sprigs, lemon slices and minced garlic among the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with remaining olive oil. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Remove foil and cook for another 10 minutes or until top is golden brown.

I served this with a mixture of brown rice and barley to round out all the veggies.

Hope you have fun using fresh summer veggies and enjoy this late summer dish!

Earthy Lentil & Barley Stew

This stew was inspired by a recipe from Fat Free Vegan and it turned out to be so delicious that it's going to be a weekly favorite come Autumn! It was cool and gloomy today, and we thoroughly enjoyed this warm and nourishing dish! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!




Earthy Lentil and Barley Stew

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils
3/4 cup hulled or pearled barley (I used Quaker Pearled Barley-cooks in 10 mins)
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp fresh thyme (fresh if you have it -leaves only-)
1/2 tsp oregano
6 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika or red pepper

1/2 tsp salt
2 cups fresh spinach

Saute onions and garlic until golden brown.
Add spices and 1 cup of vegetable stock, simmer until well blended.
Add carrots, mushrooms, lentils and barley and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add the rest of the stock, cover and cook until carrots and barley are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Add salt to taste and spinach, if desired. Cover again and cook briefly until spinach is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes.

Servings: 6

Nutrition info per serving: 78 calories, 4 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g fat, 159 mg sodium