Southwestern Three-Bean and Barley Soup

Boy, do I love me some slow cooker meals.

Well, let me include a caveat: I love me some slow cooker meals IF I can remember to start them in morning.

That being said, when I DO start my slow cooker meal on time, it is heavenly. HERE is the original recipe sans my modifications.

Southwestern Three-Bean and Barley Soup: 
Servings: 6
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cook time: 8 hours




Ingredients:

• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 4 C water
• 4 C vegetable broth
• 1/2 C pearl barley
• 1/2 C dried black beans
• 1/2 C dried great northern beans
• 1/2 C dried kidney beans
• 2 T chili powder
• 2 t ground cumin
• 1 T fresh oregano

Directions: 

Rinse beans and combine all ingredients in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, about 4 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low.

Serve topped with cilantro, fresh squeezed lime juice, and cheddar or sour cream ... or eat plain! It's great either way.

Unless you like your beans a little "al dente" (how else would you describe it? They're not crunchy, they're just not from a can ... ), I recommend soaking them the night before. I always forget to soak mine, though, so I'm pretty used to "al dente." 

Also, if you're interested in a stove-top version (for those of us who can't seem to remember to start the slow cooker in the morning), follow the link at the top of the page to the original recipe. I can't vouch for the stove top version, but it oughtta work just fine. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 443 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 296 Calories from Fat 42

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.7g 7%

Saturated Fat 0.9g 4%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 567mg 24%

Total Carbohydrates 49.4g 16%

Dietary Fiber 13.0g 52%

Sugars 4.1g

Protein 16.2g

Vitamin A 97% • Vitamin C 13% Calcium 11% • Iron 26%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• High in dietary fiber
• High in manganese
• Very high in vitamin A
• Very high in vitamin B6

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

I love roasted red peppers. Frankly, I just love red peppers. I could eat them every day.

I practically do.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup: (original recipe)
Servings: 4
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 40 minutes



Ingredients:

• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 shallots or 1/2 red onion, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 roasted red bell peppers; peeled, seeded and pureed
• 4 to 5 sun-dried tomatoes
• 4 C low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2/3 C sour cream
• 1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 C shredded pepper jack cheese

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, celery, shallots, and pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until the potatoes begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the pureed red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth and 1 cup water. Cover and bring to a simmer, then uncover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the soup and sour cream to a blender and, keeping the lid slightly ajar, puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and stir in half of the cilantro. Divide among bowls and sprinkle with cheese and remaining cilantro.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 619 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 336 Calories from Fat 140

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 15.6g 24%

Saturated Fat 6.2g 31%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 17mg 6%

Sodium 117mg 5%

Total Carbohydrates 44.3g 15%

Dietary Fiber 7.6g 30%

Sugars 6.0g

Protein 6.9g

Vitamin A 12% • Vitamin C 399% Calcium 7% • Iron 28%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in cholesterol
• Low in sodium
• High in potassium
• Very high in vitamin B6
• Very high in vitamin C

Baked/Fried Falafel Sandwiches with Lemon Tahini Sauce

I really, REALLY enjoy this meal (oh, and the leftovers are DELISH). HERE and HERE are the original recipes, in case you're interested.

Baked/Fried Falafel Sandwiches with Lemon Tahini Sauce (Revised 6/27/13)

Ingredients: 

Servings: 4-5

Prep & Cook time: 40 minutes

Falafel:

• 2 15oz can chickpeas, drained
• 2-3 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 C finely chopped parsley
• 2 T finely chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1 1/2 t ground coriander
• ½ t cayenne pepper
• ¼ t pepper
• 1/3 C whole wheat flour 
• 1/4 C whole wheat flour (for shaping patties)
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

Lemon Tahini Sauce

• 1 T tahini paste
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/4 C plain greek yogurt
• 2 T parsley, finely chopped

Remaining Ingredients:

• 1/2 C feta cheese, crumbled
• 8 pita breads (5” diameter)
• 1 C red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 C tomatoes, chopped
• 2 C lettuce, chopped

Heat oil in deep frying pan at medium heat (360° F). Combine chickpeas, onions, garlic, egg, lemon juice, parsley, cilantro and spices in a food processor and pulse until well blended. Scoop the bean mixture into a bowl and stir in flour. Pour remaining flour (for shaping patties) onto a plate. Shape into 12 equal sized patties and roll in flour. Place patties in oil and fry, both sides, approximately 4 minutes each (until browned).

OR

Preheat oven to 400° F. Place patties on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake 10 minutes on each side.

Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, yogurt and parsley in a small bowl.

Divide the hot falafel between the warmed pita breads and top with chopped lettuce, tomato, red onion, feta, and lemon-tahini sauce.

Sorry, folks, I don't know how to calculate how much fat/calories frying adds. From my research, I'd say add 100-150 calories per serving if you choose to fry vs. bake.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 446 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 678 Calories from Fat 136

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 15.1g 23%

Saturated Fat 4.2g 21%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 47mg 16%

Sodium 1221mg 51%

Total Carbohydrates 111.3g 37%

Dietary Fiber 12.2g 49%

Sugars 5.6g

Protein 25.0g

Vitamin A 17% • Vitamin C 53% Calcium 27% • Iron 44%

Nutrition Grade A-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in sugar
• Very high in vitamin B6

Overnight Oatmeal

We all like breakfast in bed, right? Now there's a safer way to get your B-in-B fix. And it's healthier, too. 

Overnight Oatmeal

Servings: 4

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cook time: 8-9 hours

So the original recipe is from HERE, but I changed it a little. My recipe is below. Next time I'm going to try dried mango pieces and coconut milk instead cranberries and half-and-half. 

Ingredients:

1 C steel cut oats
1 C dried cranberries
1/2 C applesauce
4 C water
1/2 C half-and-half (next time I'm trying almond milk or coconut milk)

Directions:

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and set to low heat. Cover and let cook for 8 to 9 hours.

Stir and remove to serving bowls. This method works best if started before you go to bed. This way your oatmeal will be finished by morning.

I added fresh raspberries to mine this morning and it was SO GOOD.

My next flavor: Coconut Mango. I'll use coconut milk instead of half-and-half and I'll use dried mangoes instead of cranberries. Really, the possibilities are endless! I'll try to post my different concoctions as I try them. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 350 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 145 Calories from Fat 44

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.9g 8%

Saturated Fat 2.4g 12%

Cholesterol 11mg 4%

Sodium 22mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 22.4g 7%

Dietary Fiber 4.0g 16%

Sugars 4.6g

Protein 3.8g

Vitamin A 3% • Vitamin C 10% Calcium 5% • Iron 6%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Very low in sodium
• High in dietary fiber
• Very high in manganese

Uhhh ... That's embarrassing.

Every once in a while I decide to give my underused and under-appreciated blog a face lift.

This particular face lift came with a name change.

An embarrassing one.

One that has since been re-changed.

Because it was so embarrassing.

For approximately 8 hours today, my blog was called, "The Chronicles of Condie-dom."

For those of you who aren't already laughing at me, I'll continue ...

As if the cheese factor wasn't enough, the more I looked at it, the more I kept misreading it as, "The Chronicles of [a word that sounds like the first syllable of 'Condie' with a 'dom' added to the end]." I had it spelled out before and decided I'm too juvenile to let that fly. 

When I finally read it out loud three times fast, it sounded an awful lot like the aforementioned misread.

Well that's embarrassing.



... And slightly funny ...

So I'm sharing it. Along with our new family pictures.

Pasta with roasted red pepper sauce

I love this recipe. I mean really, really LOVE it. As in I-could-eat-this-every-day kind of love. HERE is the source (Oh, you lovely Pioneer Woman, you. How can I ever repay you?). Below are my tweaks. Enjoy.





Pasta with roasted red pepper sauce: 

Serves: 4; Cook time: 30 minutes

• 3 whole red bell peppers
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Fresh Parmesan, shaved
• 1lb pasta

Preparation Instructions:

Roast red peppers by broiling on the top rack in oven. Char each side until blackened, turning the peppers as needed. Remove peppers from oven and place in a Ziploc or brown paper bag to allow to sweat. Peel the charred skins from the peppers, then removed seeds. Puree peppers and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree and stir together.

Pour in cream and stir to combine. Taste and add salt -- you'll want to use more than what seems intuitive. The salt will really bring out the roasted red pepper flavor. Add cooked pasta and stir together.

Serve pasta topped with chopped parsley and Parmesan to your heart's content.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 290 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 573 Calories from Fat 194

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 21.6g 33%

Saturated Fat 8.9g 45%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 124mg 41%

Sodium 306mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates 72.3g 24%

Dietary Fiber 2.7g 11%

Sugars 4.9g

Protein 23.7g

Vitamin A 78% • Vitamin C 212% Calcium 30% • Iron 26%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in sodium
• Low in sugar
• High in phosphorus
• High in vitamin A
• Very high in vitamin B6
• Very high in vitamin C

It doesn't matter what I try ...

... I'll never be a blogger.

That's just the sad, sorry truth.

No matter what "commitment" I make I will not -- heck, I will NEVER -- become a consistent, real life, bona fide blogger. It's just not in my cards. Don't tell me I can change. I've tried (in regards to blogging) and frankly, I can't.

That's just the sad, sorry, pathetic truth.

I pretty much only update this thing so I can look up my recipes easier.

Oops. I said it. And even saying that sounds pathetic since I'm TOTALLY backlogged on recipe posts. So I'm going to try and update as much as I can while I clean and put away my produce from today's trip to Hell (that's Walmart for those of you who are wondering. And yes, I travel to Hell frequently).

... but no promises.