Bean and Barley Soup

1 c dried beans, soaked overnight
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 c chopped onion
1c chopped parsley
1c chopped carrot
1 c chopped celery
9 c water
2 c Chicken or Vegetable Broth
2 bay leaves
1/3 c uncooked pearl barley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Heat oil and saute onion, parsley, celery and carrot until tender and fragrant.
2. Add beans, water, broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 1-1.5 hours or until beans are tender. Discard bay leaves
3. Place 3/4 cup beans and 3/4 cup cooking liquid in blender and puree. Return to pot.
4. Stir in barley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes or until barley is soft.

Top with red pepper and parmesan cheese.

Tomato-Basil Soup

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 c fresh basil
1c milk
1/4 tsp each, salt and pepper
2-4 oz softened reduced fat cream cheese

1. Puree tomatoes and basil.
2. Heat tomato/basil mixture to boiling and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Stir in milk, salt, pepper and cream cheese. Stir with a whisk until cream cheese melts and soup is thick and homogeneous.

Good served with toasted baguette.

Lentil Stew

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1.25 c chopped onion
1 c chopped celery
1 c chopped carrot
1 garlic clove, minced
4 c Chicken or Vegetable Broth
1 c water
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 c dried lentils
Crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to taste

Hot, cooked brown rice

1. Cook onion, celery, carrot and garlic in hot oil until tender and fragrant.
2. Add broth water and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
3. Stir in lentils and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in seasonings.
5. Serve over rice.

Barley and Roasted Vegetable Salad

Dressing
1/3 c red wine vinegar
5 t olive oil
1/2 t salt

Salad
3 c water
1 c uncooked pearled barley
1 bell pepper, cut into wedges
1 zucchini, halved
1 yellow squash, halved

1/4 t each salt and pepper
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
2 T fennel fronds
2 garlic cloves, minced

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Boil water and add barley. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.
3. Toss peppers, zucchini and squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes or until squash and zucchini are tender. Remove and bake peppers until tender.
4. Cool vegetables and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
5. Combine all salad ingredients.
6. Make dressing and toss with salad.
7. Let salad chill for about an hour before serving.

Good at room temperature and cold. Good topped with feta cheese.

Fennel and Beet Salad

Dressing
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 T honey
1/4 c oil
dash of salt


Salad
2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced and core removed
1/4 c chopped fennel fronds (the feathery part of of the fennel stalk)
5 -8 beets, cooked and peeled and quartered

Toss dressing and salad and let chill a bit before serving.

Napa Cabbage and Snow Pea Slaw

Dressing
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 T sugar
3 T fresh lime juice
1 t sesame oil
1/4 t ginger

Slaw:
4 c sliced napa cabbage
1/2 c thinly sliced snow peas
1/2 c peeled, shredded kohlrabi
2 sliced green onions
2 T cilantro

Mix dressing and toss with vegetables. Chill a bit before serving.

CSA Chronicles - week 3 and 4

In the box the past two weeks:


Beets - red and golden
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Fennel
Fresh Garlic
Kohlrabi
Napa Cabbage
Orach

Red Cabbage

Red Scallions
Scallions
Sugar Snap and Snow Peas
White Turnips
Zucchini


I've found that I like beets and that turnips induce my gag reflex.


I used the napa cabbage, green onions, kohlrabi, cilantro and snow peas in Napa Cabbage and Snow Pea Slaw. I used the beets and fennel in the the in Fennel and Beet Salad (supplied by the CSA). I used the squash and zucchini in Barley and Roasted Vegetables Salad (modified from Cooking Light magazine).