Mushroom Barley Soup

                                                               Mushroom Barley Soup

The weather has been cooling, but is still warm enough for a lighter soup.  It is filling with the barley, but not too heavy on a warm evening.

Barley is perfect in the warm, humid weather as it helps to regulate heat and damp conditions in the body.  It helps build the body and muscles and stimulates the appetite. Combined with the detoxifying properties of the mushrooms and cooling properties of celery, it is perfect for summer meals and during illness.

Mushroom Barley Soup
Serves 4-6

• 8-12 ounces cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 3 medium or 2 large organic carrots
• 3 medium or 2 large stalks organic celery
• 1 leek
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with cooking string
• 5 collard green leaves
• 12 cups vegetable stock
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp each of dried Thyme, Parsley and Chevril 

-Cut end and dark green leaves off of the leek and cut in half

-Place leek in a bowl of water, clean between leaves to remove sand and dirt

-Scrub carrots, cut in half lengthwise

-Remove ends of celery and carrots and cut in half moons

-Clean mushrooms with a dry cloth and slice

-Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat

-Add leek, carrots and celery, cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally

-Add mushrooms, a few grinds of salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes over medium-high heat

-Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir, cook for 2 minutes

-Add vegetable stock and thyme sprigs, bring to a boil

-Add pearl barley and dried herbs, stir and reduce heat to medium-low, keeping at a simmer

-Cook 45 minutes - 1 hour, until barley is cooked almost al dente

-Stir in remaining broth if too thick

- Add thinly sliced collard greens, cook 7 minutes

Accompany with a warm crusty French bread or crackers.  

Have a most wonderful weekend!

Quick Panchpuran hummus

                             Panchpuran hummus

I have been wandering the aisles of my two local Indian markets and found the Panchpuran mix: nigella sativa; cumin, fenugreek, mustard, and fennel seeds.  I usually have garbanzo beans freshly cooked in my refrigerator and was looking for a quick lunch last weekend.  This is what I came up with and was happy.  Hummus is so versatile.  I sliced baby cucumbers to dip, pita chips would be a good accompaniment too.

Panchpuran Hummus

• 1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans, if canned, rinse and reduce the amount of soy sauce
• 1 spring onion, diced with light green sections included
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp tahini
• 1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 tsp Panchpuran mix
• Red chili flakes (optional)

-Combine garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and soy sauce in a food processor until smooth, adding more olive oil if needed

-Add spring onion, parsley and panchpuran mix

-Pulse until completed mixed and smooth

-Add small amount of soy sauce if needed and blend again.

-Serve with chili flakes sprinkled on top, or a little more of the Panchpuran mix

Serve with slices of red peppers, cucumbers, or any other veggies of preference.  Also wonderful on a sandwich with all of the vegetables you like.

Mushroom Pizza

 Mushroom Basil pizza with goat cheese

The craving for mushrooms last night came down to two options, mushroom barley soup or the winner, pizza.  It was a sunny day with a soft breeze, warming up after a week that felt more like autumn then mid-August.  As I listen to my body more and to what I am craving when, mushrooms are a go-to when I feel a little off, as if my body is struggling to stay healthy.

This fruit of a fungus has great medicinal effects; aiding the body in detoxification, boosting the immune system with alpha and beta glucans, and providing your body with much needed vitamin D.  There are many studies demonstrating anti-inflammatory and tumor reducing properties.

I used Jamie Oliver's basic pizza recipe and added the toppings.  I cook the crust for approximately 7 minutes on a pizza stone before adding the sauce and toppings.

Mushroom Basil Pizza with Goat Cheese

Serves 2-3

• 8-12 ounces of crimini or Shitake mushrooms (organic if possible)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 small red onion,
• 1/2 organic red bell pepper
• Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• Fresh basil to garnish, Dry basil to cook
• Capers
• Organic goat cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

-Clean and slice the mushrooms

-Peel and thinly slice the garlic and the red onion

-Halve the red pepper, remove seeds and pith, julienne 

-Heat up 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a nonstick pan at a medium heat

-Add red onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened

-Add the garlic and sliced red pepper, saute for 3 minutes

-Throw in mushrooms, 1 tsp dried basil and 1/4 tsp salt

-Cook until mushrooms the liquid has evaporated they are slightly browned

-Add olives and heat through

-Remove from heat until the pizza dough has cooked to a very light brown

-Use a ladle to carefully add the pasta sauce to the crust, pull the shelf of the oven out a little to prevent burning yourself

-Spread mushroom mixture evenly over the pizza

-Return to the oven for 5-7 minutes until the crust is a golden brown

-Remove from the oven, sprinkle with goat cheese, 1 Tbsp capers, and fresh basil leaves to serve

Yum!

From market to table

My vegetables from last week's run to the market, super happy that red bell peppers are arriving.

I had many plans for dinner last night, but this week will be busy including a few later nights at work.  So, this is my versatile standby in the summer.  I made up a batch of sweet brown rice and dove into the vegetables I had on hand, with a bit of tofu of course.  

My goal is to unveil the new tofu recipe this week, I hope that time allows.  For now, I will keep the color in my diet.

Herb Goat Cheese Salad

Since discovering the organic garlic herb goat cheese at my farmers' market, this is the salad that makes me say yum with each bite.  All ingredients aside from the avocado and my homegrown basil are from my weekly produce purchase.

Herb Goat Cheese Salad
Serves 2 for a full meal, 4 as a side

• 1 large head of red or green leafy lettuce
• 2 spring onions
• 2 small organic tomatoes
• 1/2 avocado 
• Fresh Basil
• Organic goat cheese (mine was a garlic basil, any will do)
• Garbanzo beans if available, preferably freshly cooked

- Cut lettuce, onions, tomatoes and avocado into bite size pieces

-Sprinkle with basil leaves and crumbled goat cheese

-Add garbanzos if on hand

The lettuce and goat cheese are really the stars here.  Once mixed with the simple lemon, olive oil dressing, it becomes a creamy delight, I was surprised at how little dressing is needed.  The crisp onions and tart tomatoes balance the salad perfectly.  

Lemon Dressing

• 1/2 organic lemon
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

-Squeeze lemon, careful to catch the seeds

-Add 1/2 tsp of freshly ground salt and the same amount of pepper

-Whisk together and leave as you assemble the salad

-Right before serving, drizzle in the olive oil as whisking, add a little more to taste if desired.

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently mix together.  The goat cheese melts with the dressing and coats everything beautifully.

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do many times each week.

Possibilities and new recipes

Each week I have a difficult time limiting my vegetable choices at the market, but it gives me a push to be creative and try new dishes. 

This week I have made:
*2 salads with red leaf lettuce, tomato, spring onion, organic goat cheese and garbanzo beans with a simple lemon, olive oil dressing
*Veg pancakes with squash, carrots and spring onions (a work in progress)
*Collard greens with tomato, garlic and onion over pasta
*Roasted Potatoes, Clotilde Dusoulier's recipe on Chocolate and Zucchini, is on the menu tonight.  I have used her recipe for new potatoes from The French Market Cookbook and now hope to perfect larger potatoes with this recipe:

Perfect Roasted Potatoes - Clotilde Dusoulier

Update: I tried the recipe for Perfect Roasted Potatoes above, what a difference!!  Just a couple of extra steps and the texture is amazing!

I am working out the kinks in some of the recipes and excited about new ones, especially my sesame encrusted tofu.

Have a most lovely Sunday!

Thyme roasted potatoes

This is one of the easiest and tastiest side dishes

The preparation is minutes and just wait as the oven turns wedges of potatoes into a crisp and creamy accompaniment to a salad, some lovely greens, or an organic meat of your choice.

Potatoes are on the dirty dozen list of items with the highest pesticide residues. Buy organic when you can.  As a single person I find this frustrating, I can only find organic potatoes in 5 lb. bags, a bit much for me.  But, once again the summer outdoor organic markets save, potatoes have just arrived in the past couple of weeks and I am ready.

Thyme Roasted Potatoes
Serves 2

Preheat the oven to 425

• 2 large, or 3 medium, red or yukon gold potatoes
• 10 sprigs of fresh thyme
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive oil

-Scrub the potatoes (leave the skins on as they provide important nutrients and fiber)

-Cut into equally sized wedges

-Remove thyme leaves from the stems, or dice if the stems are tender

-Put 2 sprigs of thyme aside for serving

-Toss potatoes in a bowl with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, a good 4-5 grinds of salt and the same of pepper

-Place on a baking sheet

-Bake for 30-45 minutes until golden brown, tossing after 20 minutes

-Serve with remaining fresh thyme tossed in.