Clean Eating Thursdays- Chicken Barley Stew

My husband and I both served missions for our church (we are Mormon) in Romania. Romanians have a diet rich in bread and fats. Very low in sweets. In fact, their desserts were a joke. But, man, they had some good soup called borsi (pronounced borsh). Imagine a nice broth based soup with sour cream stirred in so it has a light, creamy and tangy flavor. This stew took us back to that concrete jungle that was Romania. Mmmm delish! This recipe was given to me by my sister. It was so good and different. And...enjoy it guilt free!

Chicken Barley Stew
Source: Valerie Stanton from Clean Eating

Put the following ingredients into your cart...

32oz low fat, low sodium chicken broth
1Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 Tbsp thyme
1/2 Tbsp basil
1/2 Tbsp cilantro
1/4 Tbsp dill
2 bay leaves
1/2 Tbsp black pepper
12 oz chicken breast, uncooked
1/2 cup barley 1 can black eyed peas (as you can see in the photo, I used kidney beans)
1 med onion, cubed
20 oz potatoes, peeled an cubed
10 oz carrots, peeled and cut
8 tbsp sour cream

Put your apron on and...

Fill slow cooker with broth, 8 0z water, garlic, herbs and pepper. Add chicken, peas, and barley, then layer onion, potatoes, carrots, over top. Liquid should just cover veggies. Do not stir. Allow to simmer at least 4 to 6 hours. Remove bay leaves and stir before serving. Spoon 1 cup into each bowl and top with 1 tbsp sour cream.

Clean Eating Thursday #1- Super-fast Thai Chili

Clean Eating. Have you heard the phrase? It is really popular right now. There is a magazine, a show, cook books, etc. Basically it is eating naturally, no processed food, no white sugar (GASP), butter not margarine, no canned cream of mushroom soup casseroles, etc. ALL natural foods. This concept may seem like the polar opposite of The Bakery Box. But, everything in moderation, right? And although I LOVE to bake, I do try hard to be healthy. And I do try hard to practice self-control. Yesterday, I made toffee, sugar cookies, and two kinds of cupcakes. I only ate 1 cupcake (today I ate 5 though so I guess that counters yesterday...crap...) Anyways, yes, we should try to eat healthy meals if we want to snack like pigs, carb-adicts, glutens. So, I propose to start one meal at a time. Every Wednesday night I will make something from Clean Eating and post about it on Thursday night. I have been getting the magazine now for a year and have loved every single recipe I have made (ugh...except for the desserts) So, last night we had thai chili. It had wheat bulgur in it and sweet potatoes. Sound strange? It was pretty delish and my boys ate it. THAT is something. And my hubby Paul gave it the "make again" rating. So, here's to your health. Make it (Seriously a 30 minute meal!!! ) and THEN eat a cupcake! :)

Super Fast Thai Chili
Source: Clean Eating Magazine January 2011

Put in your shopping cart
1 1/2 tsp. red curry paste---see note below
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth----see note below
1/2 cup uncooked wheat bulgur
1/2 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed (2 cups)
1 large green pepper (2 cups)
3 cups cooked kidney beans, drained (probably about 2 cans)
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 cups jarred or boxed tomato puree
2 scallions
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Put on your apron and:

1. In a 4 quart pot, add curry paste, cumin and a bit of broth. Mash mixture and stir until paste is no longer in lumps. Add remaining broth, bulgur, potato, and bell pepper. Set over high heat and bring mixture to a boil. Cover tightly, reduce heat to med. low and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Add beans, coconut milk, and tomato puree to pot and stir. Cook, uncovered, for 7 min, until bulgur is tender and chili is thick. Garnish with scallions and black pepper.

Notes on this recipe:
I changed a few things that maybe you might want to try. My Walmart didn't have red curry paste. I just used about 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder. Also, I didn't want to spend the money on vegetable broth, so I used chicken bouillon and beef bouillon at home...a mixture of both. ( Are you shaking your head right now thinking, "Ghetto, much? " ... I know...I know...) Also I added a big can of tomatoes to the chili...I think this is a good addition. We also topped ours with green onions instead of scallions (Sigh...once again ghetto) And we couldn't forget the fattening shredded cheddar cheese. Even with these changes, or maybe because of them, this chili was so good and really a different combination of flavors!

Filled with gratitude...and good soup

'Tis the season to count our blessings, right?! And this Thanksgiving I am so thankful for my friends. I grew up in the military. I don't know if it was all the moving, but I don't really have friends from childhood. I am not a great correspondent and my friendships tend to blend into the background until, years later, I live with the regret of letting it happen. 4 years ago my husband and I moved away from all family and friends...into the great world of Denver Colorado. I was bored out of my mind, stuck at home with a baby and no friends. Slowly I began making friends and now, years later can not imagine life without them. My friends are the kind of gals that you count down the hours to hang out with them and just go to dinner. They are the kinds of friends who will bring you over a tub of sour cream when you are out and stuck at home with a bunch of kids. My friends are the kind of gals that support me in my strange endeavors and act like I am the best darn teacher, baker, friend, homemaker, etc. they ever did see. When I am having a bad day they show up with a double cheeseburger and a very large diet coke. Does anyone else out there agree that a diet coke can cure the worst day ever? My friends are the kind of friends that even in a new state, they are so excited for each and every small success in my life. I am not an emotional gal, but just writing this is making me a little weepy. Where am I going with this post? Well, I had two of these friends over for dinner on Sunday and served them this soup. Both are begging for this recipe so here goes...



Split Pea Soup
Source: my mother- Jenise Keith - she has served this with Christmas dinner the last couple years and let me tell you...even if you don't like peas you will LOVE this soup!!



1 package bacon

1 16 oz. bag split peas

2 celery stalks

1 large onion

8 cups water

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 beef bouillon cubes

1 bay leaf

1 cup cream



Cook bacon. Take out of pan and set aside. Cook onion and celery in bacon fat. Move onion and celery to saucepan once tender. Add rest of ingredients in sauce pan except for the cream and bacon. Simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and blend in blender till smooth and creamy. I have a small blender and have to blend mine in three parts. After blended return to pot and stir in cream. Garnish with chopped bacon. DELISH!!!