I usually avoid recipes with this long of a list of ingredients but most of these I keep in stock and recommend you do to.  Onions and carrots have a long shelf life and are very versatile.  Garlic and lemon are my go-to flavor enhancers and must haves in the kitchen.  Barley and lentils are great sources of fiber and by adding in hearty greens (kale, swiss chard) at the end you’ll add an extra punch of vitamins!  You can add any type of meat if you don’t want the vegetarian version.

Barley Lentil Soup (adapted from www.barleyfoods.org)

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 7 cups vegetable broth, divided
• 1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup lentils, rinsed
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp finely chopped Italian parsley
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

Spray 4-quart saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrots and celery; sauté 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

Mix in 6 cups vegetable broth, mushrooms, lentils, barley, tomato paste, thyme, curry powder and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 60 to 70 minutes or until lentils and barley are tender, but not mushy.

Blend in remaining broth, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf and serve.  Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 186 calories, 10g protein, 31g carbohydrate, 10g fiber, 4g fat, 1092mg sodium.

Erin’s Time Saving Tips & Recipe Twists:

• Buy sliced mushrooms and keep a jar of minced or chopped garlic in your fridge instead of having to chop the fresh stuff
• I omitted the parsley and added in swiss chard for some extra greens with five minutes left to cook.

I’ve been successful with making juicy turkeys for Thanksgiving but usually bypass cooking birds in their whole form the rest of the year.  In an effort to cut our grocery bill, I purchased a whole chicken and gave it a go in the Crockpot.  It took literally 10 minutes to prepare, with other items I had in the kitchen: lemons, oranges, Cajun spices, and onion.  The results: Succulent tender lean meat at ½ the cost of skinless boneless chicken breast.

Crockpot Chicken   

• 1 4-5 lb bird
• 1 onion, chopped  (celery and garlic would be good too)
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 orange, sliced
• Seasonings of your choice

1. Rinse chicken and remove extra parts from cavity.Fill bottom of crockpot with chopped onion and 2 tblspns of olive oil
2. Fill cavity of chicken with lemon and orange slices; using remaining slices to cover the top
3. Sprinkle with your choice of seasonings.
4. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

• 1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 2 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 parsnips, peeled and cubed
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon dried or 3 T.      fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano
• Walnut or Grapeseed oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 F
2. Place the sliced veggies on a large cookie sheet.  Spray or lightly drizzle with oil, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and herbs.
3. Roast in the preheated oven until the vegetables have lightly browned around the edges and are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir once as the vegetables roast to ensure even cooking.

Time Saving Tip: Buy pre-cut ready to cook butternut squash in the produce section next to the bagged salads to save prep time.