It was a cool, rainy day, perfect for spending time in the kitchen to make ahead meals. I always like back-ups in my freezer for days that I just don’t have time or I’m “not feeling” the cooking part! The recipe is a hit and makes extra. Perfect.
Beef Barley Kale Stew
This stew is comfort food at its best—rich and satisfying, hearty and healthy. I doubled the recipe and the next day had to add extra liquid because the barley had thickened the stew even more.
2 pounds of stewing beef, cut roughly
into 1-inch cubes
Oil for frying
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 leeks, chopped- optional
4 garlic cloves, chopped
A 5.5 ounce can of tomato paste
8 cups water
2 cups of red wine
2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
Dried oregano, thyme to taste (start with
1 tsp of each)
1/2 cup of barley
1 bunch of kale, tough centre ribs
removed, leaves cut into small bite-size pieces
Heat your largest thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add some oil to cover the bottom thinly. In batches, add the beef, without crowding the pan and fry until browned. Set aside each batch of the beef until each piece has been browned. Leave any of the browned goodness in the pan.
Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, water, wine, dried spices, salt and pepper.
Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Stirring occasionally, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover tightly and gently simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring now and then.
Stir in the barley and cook at a simmer for another hour or a bit longer until the barley is tender.
Stir in the kale, cover, turn off the heat and let it rest just long enough to wilt the greens, a minute or two. Serve.
*Refrigerate the stew for up to six days in the refrigerator. To freeze, portion in containers for up to 30 days.
Falafel Burgers
Chickpeas tend to be dry and falafels are a hit or miss for me because if they are not made right they can be dry. It’s called eating sawdust! This recipe is great and the chickpeas do make a great burger. The spices are really important because that is what gives them the thumbs up! Of course, double the recipe and freeze the extra burgers.
4 cups cooked chickpeas
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Oil for frying
Handful fresh parsley, chopped
3 Tbsp ground fennel
1/2 Tbsp coriander powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp salt
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 egg
1/8 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup oats (grind into flour) or 1/4 oat
flour
Sauté the onions and garlic in a little bit of oil until softened and lightly browned.
Add the chickpeas, onions, garlic, egg, lemon juice, maple syrup, olive oil, parsley, oat flour and all the spices into a food processor and blend until almost smooth. If it is really thick add a little bit more olive oil or lemon juice or water.
Form into patties and fry in some oil.
*Freezing the extra—place the patties on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Freeze then place in a container for later meals.
