Thursday, June 25, 2009

Wheat Berry Chili

1 cup wheat berries
3 cups water
1 large chopped onion
1/2 chopped green pepper
1/2 chopped yellow pepper
4 t chili powder
1/4 t hot pepper sauce
1/8 t black pepper
1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce
1-28 oz can tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
1-15 oz can kidney beans
1-15 oz can white beans





Cook wheat in 3 cups of water for 1 hour or until tender. Rinse with cool water and drain thoroughly. Cook onion, green and yellow pepper until desired softness. ( Can be done in the microwave for 1 minute) Combine remaining ingredients with the vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered until desired consistancy. Serves 8. Freezes great.





Barley



Barley the Beautiful




Barley is one of the oldest grains ever culivated. With over 2000 varieties, it is a grain most of us can find and use. Barley has a low gluten content, which is great for those who have some gluten issues, but makes it unable to stand alone in yeast breads. Barley is a glkaline grain and easy to digest. It contains about the same amount of carbohydrates as corn with more protein but slightly less fat. It makes a great breakfast cereal and is often used in soup and casseroles. I am including one of my favorite barley casserole recipies. You can add broccoli, tomatoes, or any other vegetable you would like.

1 cup barley
2 T cooking oil
3 c water
2 t beef bouillon
1/2 t salt
1 cup sliced green onions
1 cans (4 oz) whole button mushrooms
tomatoes, grated carrots, celery, brocolli,
or any other vegetable you like.
Saute barley in oil until golden brown. Stir in water, boullion, and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add onions, mushrooms, or other vegetables. Cover and bake 350 for 40-50 minutes or until barley is tender.