Beef Barley Soup

This recipe hails from Crazy Plates, by Greta and Janet Podleski. If you haven't ever tried their cookbooks, I highly recommend them. My copy is dog eared and falling apart because I use it so much! This soup is delicious and very, very easy. It also is perfect tucked into school lunches because it's so filling. I have made a few changes to it to suit our family-namely instead of water and beef boullion, I just use canned beef broth.

1 1/2 lbs of stewing beef, trimmed of fat and cut into bite sized cubes

1 cup EACH chopped celery, chopped carrots, and chopped onions

1 clove of garlic, minced

7 cups of beef broth

1 cup tomato sauce

2/3 cup pearl barley

1 1/2 tsp dried marjoram

3/4 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp pepper

salt to taste

In a large soup pot, saute the beef in a small amount of oil until all sides are browned. Remove from pot to a plate. In the same soup pot, saute the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic for about 5 minutes or until softened, adding more oil if necessary. Add the beef and it's juices, and all the other ingredients back into the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is very tender.

This soup may appear runny while you are making it but the starch from the barley will thicken it up over time. It freezes very well and can be put in single sized portions for individual lunches.

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Coconut Ginger Rice

Shown with Cashew Chicken Stirfry

Deliciously spiced up with ginger, garlic, and infused with coconut, this is one of my favorite ways to make rice and is amazing paired up with these spicy but sweet chicken mango kebabs. We love it with stir fries or curries, and if you don't use the whole can of coconut milk, don't despair. It freezes well so put it away for another day when you have a craving. The rice leftovers make AMAZING fried rice for dinner or even a lunch box addition.

Adapted From Crazy Plates, by Janet and Greta Podleski

1 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp grated ginger root
1 small thai chili, minced (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked, long grain white rice
3/4 cup coconut milk (make sure it's not the kind used for desserts)
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt

In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, stirring, until the smell begins to waft through the air. Don't let the garlic brown though, or it will be bitter. Add the rice and allow to cook for about 1 minute. Stir in 2 1/4 cups water, honey, coconut milk, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. No peeking!

Fluff with a fork before serving.

Serves 6

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