Oh, my barley

Are you ready to shake up your routine?  When was the last time you had barley?  I'll bet it was in a bowl of soup, right?  I'm not talking about an incidental occurrence in your diet.  Have you ever considered creating a dish that celebrates this chewy good-for-you grain as the main ingredient?  Give my Mexican Barley Salad a try and you'll look at barley in a whole new light.

Start off by cooking your barley in beef or chicken broth much like you would prepare rice.  I place 2 cups of barley in a pot with 4 1/2 cups broth.  Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.

Mexican Barley Salad
4 cups cooked barley
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 colored bell pepper, chopped (I used an orange one this time)
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds and membrane removed, finely chopped
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
2 t ground cumin
1 T chili powder
1 T olive oil
juice of 1 or 2 limes

Preparation couldn't be easier.  Simply throw everything together and stir well!
Muy bien!

Yields 12 servings
3/4 cup = 2 POINTS on the Weight Watchers plan

See you to the left of heft, everyone!
Deborah

Jumble!

I'll share with you a favorite recipe I developed by accident.  My hubby and I call it "jumble".  I came up with this dish one night after I'd prepared tacos or burritos for the rest of the family and I was trying to throw together something for myself that wouldn't use up too many Weight Watcher POINTS.  Basically, I took the leftover chopped veggies, added some of the spicy ground beef and stirred in some leftover brown rice I had in the fridge.  The juice of half a lime and a bit of olive oil along with some extra spices completed the concoction.  Don't worry about precise measurements -- just use the following as a guide and tweak it to your taste.

Chopped vegetables:  cucumber, tomato, onion, lettuce, fresh jalapeno and cilantro are all wonderful.

Protein:  I don't typically use a prepared taco mix when I make tacos or burritos.  I simply brown the ground beef, drain the fat and add the following seasonings to taste:  salt, garlic powder, chili powder, ground cumin and cayenne pepper.  A little water or broth is helpful to get everything melded together.  Just let that simmer on low (covered) while you're chopping your veggies.  On occasion I've made a vegetarian version with black beans and corn.

Starch:  Brown rice is nice but I encourage you to give barley a try!  I pre-cook a couple of cups of barley almost weekly just to keep on hand for this type of dish.  Instead of water I use broth (chicken or beef) and use the same ratio of liquid to grain as you would when cooking brown rice.

Seasonings:  Fresh lime juice and a bit of olive oil are wonderful in jumble.  Sometimes I go with Ken's Creamy Lite Caesar Dressing instead of the oil for a slightly different flavor.  I also like to add more chili powder, cumin and either fresh garlic or garlic powder.

So, that should get you started.  I gravitate to the Mexican seasonings but have often thought about trying to come up with a Greek inspired jumble or maybe one with an Asian twist.  I'd love to hear how you like "jumble" and look forward to reading about your own variations.

Enjoy!

Food Prep is a Key to Success

What helps you stay on track with your diet?  I've found that having healthy, appetizing food ready to go in my refrigerator increases my success.  I'm not just talking about having pre-chopped vegetables ready to assemble into a salad.  That's helpful, to be sure, but I challenge you to go a step further in anticipating your meals and to carve out a little time to prep in advance.  This way, when your stomach is rumbling you're not tempted to eat something you shouldn't just because it's easier.

Here are a few things I try to keep in my refrigerator, beyond fresh fruits and veggies:

• cooked brown rice or barley
• sauteed vegetables (my current fave is zucchini and onions with a little pesto mixed in)
• cooked, lean protein (usually grilled chicken breasts, taco meat, or leftover meat from a night or two before)
• boiled eggs
• tuna salad (made with lots of minced onion, celery and bell pepper, light mayo and/or Ken's Light Creamy Caesar Dressing)

The other day I threw together 1/2 cup of barley, a healthy portion of the sauteed zucchini mixture and a handful of chicken breast strips.  After a mere 2 minutes in the microwave I had a warm, comforting lunch that rivaled any spa cuisine, if I do say so myself!  My online tracking tool at weightwatchers.com tells me it only "cost" me 4 POINTS.  It was gorgeous, to boot!  Next time I'll snap a picture for you.

So, I'll ask again:  What helps you stay on track?