Awesome Lentil and Barley Salad

With my new obsession of storing and organizing my kitchen ingredients in mason jars and clear canisters after reading Amy Pennington's Urban Pantry, I've been stocking up on lots of bulk items to fill all my jars - all sorts of grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, flour, sugar.. you name it.  Buying these items in bulk is not only economical (a.k.a. so much cheaper!), but it also saves the excess packaging, and you have guaranteed, hearty and healthy ingredients on hand at all times for easy go-to meals. 

This definitely came in handy tonight because we are having a potluck lunch/surprise baby shower at work tomorrow and I said I would bring a main dish of some sort. So I cooked up some barley and lentils from my pantry stash, and mixed in some currants, capers, onions and almonds with an amazingly delicious and flavorful vinaigrette.. all inspired by one of my favorite cooking blogs "My New Roots" .  This salad is so fantastic and the flavors so unexpected; as Sarah Britton of My New Roots explains, "It is this special combination of flavors that creates a truly remarkable salad that is lip-smackingly tasty and totally addictive".... not to mention ridiculously healthy! It's also the perfect food to make ahead of time for a large group, as the flavors get better over time and it keeps and transports well. And feel free to mix up the ingredients or use what you have on hand- you really can't go wrong by adding anything to lentils and barley. 

AWESOME LENTIL AND BARLEY SALAD

Ingredients:

1:1 Ratio of barley to lentils (I used about 1.5 cups of each; green or brown lentils work best)

1 bay leaf

1 medium red onion, diced

1 cup dried currants

1/3 cup capers

3/4 cup almonds, dry-roasted, chopped

Optional add-ins: 

Walnuts (or any other nut)

Goat cheese

Seasonal veggies

Fresh herbs

For the vinaigrette 

(**Don't get overwhelmed with the list- If you have everything, great.. if not, just use what you have and it will still taste great!)

1/3 cup cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. maple or agave syrup
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Rinse barley well, drain. Rinse the lentils separately, drain and put aside. 

2. Place barley in a large pot and cover with about 6 to 8 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. 

3. After about 15-20 minutes of cooking, add the lentils, one bay leaf, and some salt and pepper; and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until the barley and lentils are cooked, but not mushy (check frequently to see when they are done so they don't get overcooked!)

4. While the lentils and barley are simmering, make the dressing by whisking or shaking together all the ingredients until well combined. 

5. Once the lentils and barley are done cooking, remove from heat, drain any excess water, if necessary, and put back into a large pot, bowl or tupperware. 

6. Add the onion, capers, currants and almonds (and any other add-ins), and toss with the dressing. Can be served warm, or put in the fridge to hang out for a day or two before serving cold. Most awesome lentil salad ever! 

Lucky Black Eyed Pea Soup

Happy 2011! I hope everyone had a blast celebrating the new year and setting those infamous resolutions to start the year off on a good note.  I can't say that I intentionally set any specific goals for the next year, but I do hope to finish my grad program off strong, figure out my next career move, and have lots of fun new food adventures.  I've already been working on the latter, and for the next few weeks I will have a partner in crime in my kitchen, a.k.a. my boyfriend's sister, Emily. She's a 26 year old, incredible opera singer, who is in between performances right now, so she is staying with us in Baltimore while one of our other roommates is home for break. Emily is a ball of energy and not afraid to push my buttons and challenge me in the kitchen, so I can assure you that there will be some fun recipes and surprises over the next few weeks!

To honor my family's tradition of eating eating black eyed peas at the start of the new year for good luck, Emily and I made a hearty black eyed pea soup with chicken, brown rice, kale and lots of herbs and spices. This was the perfect soup to have after being out in the cold this afternoon watching the Ravens beat up on the Bengals. Playoffs- here we come... GO RAVENS! This soup's got everything you need for a healthy, satisfying meal in just one pot.  And if you make a big pot on Sunday then you can freeze the leftovers for ready-to-go meals throughout the next few weeks. 

LUCKY BLACK EYED PEA SOUP

Ingredients

2 cups dried black eyed peas

8 cups water

1/2 lb chicken breast

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 clove garlic

1 tblsp olive oil

1 bunch kale, washed and chopped

1-2 cups brown rice or grain blend

1 vegetable or chicken low-sodium bouillon cube (not a huge fan of these, but I do use them from time to time, as they are easy to keep on hand)

Herbs and spices: salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, sage, red chili flakes, cayenne

Directions

1. Wash and sort the dried beans. Put them into a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 min.

2. Meanwhile, coat the chicken with a little bit of salt and pepper on both sides and cook in a pan with some olive oil. Chop or shred into small pieces and set aside.

3. In the same pan, heat a little bit more olive oil and cook the garlic, onions, carrots, celery with salt and pepper until softened. 

4. Once the beans have cooked for about 30 minutes or so and are nearly soft, add the cooked vegetables, shredded chicken, brown rice, kale bouillon cube, and the rest of the herbs and spices to taste.  Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes and adjust spices as needed. ENJOY!

Special thanks to my roommate Leann for being a taste tester of the soup! 

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Rice Bowl

One of my favorite go-to dinners is a mexican rice bowl of sorts with any kind of veggies and beans thrown in and topped with salsa and cheese.  It is so easy and fun because you just toss in whatever you have on hand (this is a great idea for leftovers!), add some mexican flare to it and boom- you have a tasty and well-balanced one-bowl meal.  This time I wanted to make it extra special and seasonal by adding roasted sweet potatoes and fresh black beans that I got from the farmers market. Sweet potatoes are such a sweet treat during the fall, a staple of my diet, as well as at my family's thanksgiving dinner. They are an excellent source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as vitamins A, C and B6, manganese, potassium, iron and fiber; but even more importantly the taste is out of this world and they add so much color to any meal. This rice bowl is especially colorful with the brown rice, black beans, bright orange sweet potatoes and red salsa. So pretty it was hard to take a bite out of... okay maybe it wasn't that hard :-)

SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN RICE BOWL

INGREDIENTS:
(makes about 4 servings)
2-3 medium sweet potatoes
1-2 tblsp olive oil
salt/pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 cups of black beans, cooked (preferably from fresh or dry, but canned works)
4 cups of brown rice, cooked
Additional toppings (be creative!): salsa, hot sauce, shredded cheese, cilantro

DIRECTIONS: 
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash and chop sweet potatoes into bite-size cubes. Arrange on a cookie sheet and cover with olive oil and spices.

3. Roast for about 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
4. Heat up the black beans and rice and portion into bowls.
5. Add the sweet potatoes once they are done roasting and top with salsa, cheese and any additional seasonings to make it your own personalized mexican rice bowl- just the way you like it! ENJOY!

Couscous and Lentils with Goat Cheese

Here is a great, one-pot, quick, healthy and hearty meat-free meal to help you start your week off right. Lentils are a great meat alternative because they are packed with protein, fiber, iron and B vitamins, and they are also really tasty, cheap and quick-cooking. They are many different types of lentils; all are extremely versatile and go well in soups or with grains.  I chose to cook up some lentils with whole wheat couscous tonight, which is also really quick and easy to make. And I made a big pot so I have plenty of leftovers to eat throughout the week- yes!

COUSCOUS WITH LENTILS AND GOAT CHEESE

Ingredients
1 tblsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tblsp chopped onion
2 tblsp chopped carrot
2 tblsp chopped celery
salt/pepper
1.5 cup lentils (I used a mix of brown, red and yellow)
1 cup whole wheat couscous
4-5 cups water
goat cheese

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in pot, stir in garlic, onions, celery, carrots and salt/pepper and cook for a few minutes until softened.
2. Add lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, covered, for about 15-20 minutes until lentils are soft.
3. Add couscous to the same pot and cook for an additional 5 minutes until couscous absorbs the remainder of the water and becomes soft. (If there is excess water, simply drain it out; and just add more water if there is not enough).

4. Once mixture is nice and fluffy and all the water is absorbed, serve a bowl and top with goat cheese.  ENJOY!

Greens, Beans and Grains

Still recovering from Halloween weekend and craving anything but sweets, I decided to make a quick, easy and uber-healthy one-pot dish for dinner tonight; and it can be summed up in three of my favorite words: Greens, beans and grains.  Let me expound upon each of these so you can understand my obsession with this combination as a weeknight go-to meal.

GREENS- By greens, I am referring to any of the dark, leafy greens that typically are cooked before eating: collards, kale, turnip, mustards, etc. You have most definitely heard this before, but let me tell you again that dark, leafy greens are nutritional powerhouses that should be added to everyone's diet! They are packed with all sorts of nutrients, including calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, E, and K, fiber and many more. There are numerous studies in the scientific literature reporting the health benefits of eating this food, particularly their role in the prevention of cancer. Greens are widely available this time of year in farmers' markets and they are delicious when sauteed up with some onions, garlic and olive oil.

BEANS- I could go on all day about why beans and legumes should be a staple in everyone's diet. They are not only an excellent source of important nutrients and are well-known to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancers; but they are inexpensive, filling, easy to prepare and they come in all sorts of varieties.  Beans are a great and extremely satisfying meat substitute, as they are packed with protein and high in fiber. I am a big proponent of dried beans, which take a little bit of extra time to prepare, but it's totally worth it and you don't have to worry about the high sodium or potential BPA contamination from canned beans (but I do understand how convenient canned beans can be). I usually just make a big pot of beans over the weekend and savor them in many different ways throughout the week.

GRAINS- Last but not least, I turn to grains to complete this wonderful combination of nutrient-packed, satisfying foods. We've all heard it over and over, but let me just emphasize that whole grains are a crucial part of a healthy diet.  Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that, unlike processed or refined sources of carbohydrates, retain more B vitamins, vitamin E and all the fiber. There are so many different varieties that are becoming more and more available in supermarkets, so don't be afraid to try something new.  I am a huge fan of brown rice, whole wheat couscous, quinoa, amaranth, and barley, though the lists goes on and on, and even I am still trying new kinds! Like beans, I usually make a huge pot of grains to have for the week to use in a variety of dishes- such a time saver during the busy week.

GREEN, BEANS AND GRAINS
I could go on and on about these three foods, but I'll spare you and just say that ANY combination of them can be thrown together for a delicious, quick, easy, satisfying, and extremely nutritious meal. Today I happen to have on hand some collard greens, black eyed peas, and brown rice, so that's what I threw together.  Simply sautee the chopped up greens with some garlic, onions, and olive oil until well-softened and then add cooked beans and grains along with some spices of you choice.  Again, be creative and try new combinations to keep things interesting, fun and tasty!  ENJOY!

Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

Slow cookers are the best. There is nothing better than throwing a bunch of things into a pot in the morning and then coming home to a house that smells wonderful and dinner ready to go.  I had these two bone-in chicken pieces (a breast and a thigh) in the freezer from a local Maryland farm and some leftover mushrooms and broccoli, so I figured I would throw everything together to make a soup! It's that time of year again for soups and thank God because soups are just so good for the soul. This one is a full meal in and of itself with chicken, brown rice and vegetables.  The brown rice and vegetables add plenty of nutrients and fiber, and the chicken gives it that extra boost of protein to complete the meal. It's hearty, but not heavy and it will make you feel all warm and cozy inside. Add a glass of white wine, kick your feet up and call it a night! Feel free to get creative and use whatever you have on hand- the possibilities are endless! Here's what I did:

White Wine, Garlic and Herbed Chicken and Brown Rice Slow Cooker Soup with Mushrooms and Broccoli

Marinade:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

About 1/2 bottle white wine (and save the other half to drink with dinner!) 

Rosemary and thyme (I used fresh, but dried works too)

Salt/pepper

Soup:

2 mixed pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken (preferably local/organic)

Water (Or Chicken/Vegetable stock for more flavor)

2 cups chopped broccoli

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)

1 medium onion

1-1.5 cups brown rice

More rosemary and thyme

Salt/Pepper to taste

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, pour over the chicken in a container or plastic bag and refrigerate over night (or at least 4-6 hours)

2. Place the chicken and leftover marinade in the slow cooker, fill the pot about 3/4 full with water (or stock)

3. Set on high for about 3-4 hours, until chicken falls off the bone. 

4. Take the chicken out, and set aside until cool enough to pull the meat off the bones. Put the shredded meat back in the pot once you can get it off the bones. 

5. Meanwhile, put all the vegetables and brown rice in the pot and cook on high for another hour or two until vegetables are soft and the rice is cooked. 

6. Add any additional salt/pepper to taste and top with some more herbs or parmesan cheese, if you'd like. ENJOY!