creamy barley with tomatoes and greens

(vegetarian)
hands-on-time: 30 minutes
serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
2 cups quick-cooking barley
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup dry white wine
8 cups torn mustard green leaves (from 1 small bunch) or spinach
2 ounces Taleggio or Brie (rind removed), cut into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)

> Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6-8 minutes
>Add the barley, tomatoes, wine, and 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, 12-15 minutes.
>Add the greens, Taleggio, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender, 3-4 minutes. Divide among bowls and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Layer Cake

Cake:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup brown-rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup quinoa flour (for those interested, it's pronounced "keen-wa")
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup low-fat (~1%) buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment; spray parchment as well.
2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Divide batter between pans.
3. Bake cakes until they pull away from sides of pans, about 50-60 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire racks.
4. Once cool, cover with frosting of choice by placing one cake layer on a plate. Spread a generous amount on the top. Place remaining cake layer on top of frosting. Frost top and sides (frosting pictured is a gluten-free cream cheese frosting).
5. Cake is best eaten within 1 hour of frosting, and kept covered.

Cuban Black Bean and Potato Soup

This recipe is ready, from start to finish, in less than one hour. Vegan and gluten-free!

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
6 cups cooked black beans, divided
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1 Tbs. oregano leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
1. Saute onion, bell peppers, and garlic in a saucepan with a little water or vegetable broth over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until veggies soften. Transfer to blender and puree until smooth. Add 3 cups beans and 3-4 cups of water; puree until mixture is consistency of thick soup.
2. Return mixture to saucepan, and add remaining beans, potatoes, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Recipe from March 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine

Thai Turkey Rolls with Peanut Sauce

This is one of my most favorite recipes for crescent rolls. It's perfect for an appetizer or for an entire meal.

Turkey Rolls

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 lb ground turkey

1/4 cup chopped drained water chestnuts

1/4 cup shredded carrot

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons apricot preserves

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 egg, beaten

Sauce

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough on work surface; press into 12x9-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 rectangles.

2. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add turkey; cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Stir in water chestnuts, carrot, cilantro, garlic, apricot preserves, soy sauce, ginger and red pepper flakes. Spoon about 1 tablespoon turkey mixture onto long side of each dough rectangle to within 1/4 inch of short ends. Starting with long side, roll up. Pinch edges to seal. Place seam side down on cookie sheet. Brush with egg.

3. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet.

4. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat sauce ingredients over low heat, stirring until hot. Remove from heat. Serve with turkey rolls.

Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup water
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon melted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, stir in water. Bring to a boil; stirring constantly, boil for 1 minute. Add blueberries. Pour blueberry mixture into a lightly buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish or 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with 1 teaspoon melted butter.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour milk and 3 tablespoons melted butter into a measuring cup; add to flour mixture all at once. Stir just until mixture is moistened and forms a ball. Drop spoonfuls onto the blueberries. Bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1-1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves

Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Gradually add to pumpkin mixture and beat well.

Use a non-stick 9″x 5″ loaf pan (or a non-teflon pan *very lightly* sprayed with Canola Oil cooking spray). Pour batter into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan before moving to wire rack.

Potato Soup

Ingredients:

6-8 potatoes
1 large onion
1 Tbs. salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces cream cheese
3 Tbs. margarine

Directions:

Peel and cube potatoes and cut-up onion. Put both in large pot, cover with water and add salt. Heat until water turns milky in color. Add cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and margarine. Cook until hot all the way through. Mash with potato masher or leave in big chunks, if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger

Directions:

1) Soften peanut butter in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds. Make sure it's not too runny. Grease a 9"x13" cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2) Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Include the spices in the dry mixture. In a separate bowl, mix water, oil and vanilla extract

3) Combine the wet and dry ingredients, making sure not to overwork the batter.

4) Pour half the batter in the the prepared cake pan, followed by the softened peanut butter (spread around, avoiding edges) and then pour the rest of the batter on top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups whipped topping
• graham cracker crust (9-inch)
  

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Fold in whipped topping until well blended. Pour into graham cracker crust. Chill thoroughly before serving. Drizzle with chocolate syrup, if desired.

A Birthday Cake!

Egg-less Chocolate Cake with Homemade Vanilla Frosting

I made this cake as a treat for the birthday of a good friend of mine. I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed me with such joy as I use my gifts to serve others.


Cake Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups water
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt. Add sugar and mix together.
3. Add oil, water and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
4. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Vanilla Frosting

• 1/3 c. soft butter
• 3 c. confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• About 2 tbsp. milk
  

Blend butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency.