Best Selling Book The Botany of Desire Now a Documentary, Michael Pollan Narrates

Michael Pollan has become a figure head & leader in the discussion about man and his relationship to food. His best-selling book 'The Botany of Desire'  is now an interesting, and well worth watching PBS documentary. The film focuses on  four different plants, potatoes, apples, tulips and marijuana by highlighting their evolution and variation of species.  Two thumbs up!

Healthy Alternatives & Easy Vegetarian Substitutes for Baking!

AOL-Healthy Kitchen

Here are some great healthy alternatives/substitutes when baking, these are also convenient to know in case you are out of a particular ingredient, you may have another one on hand that you can use as a substitute!
Anyone who knows me, knows I have a huge sweet tooth and enjoy baking but high cholesterol/heart disease runs in my family, I already practice the applesauce and agave nectar substitute but now I am eager to try the flax seed substitute for eggs. It will help lower cholesterol and add nutritional value!

So go ahead and eat that extra cookie or slice of pie and feel no guilt!

Whole Foods Carrot & Ginger Soup: A Healthy, Non-Dairy, Vegetable Puree

The carrot-ginger soup at Wholefoods is one of my favorite lunches. Since there is no dairy in this soup you can rest assured that it is pretty healthy, and low-fat. Instead of waiting for the carrot-ginger soup to come into rotation, why not just make your own? I found this recipe in the Whole Foods Market Cookbook. Perfect!

This puree is absolutely delicious!! You may be skeptical, but seriously just give it a try and you will be hooked, it is that good.

Carrot-Ginger Soup
Serves 6


Ingredients
1 tbsp canola or olive oil
4 medium onions sliced
1-3" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
8 large carrots peeled and cut into smaller like-sized discs
Sea salt & Fresh cracked pepper to taste


Directions
1. Heat oil in a large sauce pan, add onions and cook until translucent. Add ginger and saute an additional 2 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to medium and add the carrots and broth. Simmer until the carrots are tender. Season and puree in a food processor.

**You can also add some interesting flavor by reducing the amount of broth to half, and adding orange juice, apple juice, ginger ale or sparkling cider for the remaining 3 cups. (I think WF uses orange juice).

Moosewood Restaurant: Cooking for Health Cookbook Out in November 2009!!

The Moosewood Restaurant has a new cookbook coming out available early this coming November! Yea! If you have not yet explored any of the Moosewood cookbooks, I highly recommend that you cruise by your public library and check a few of those out. I love the library (such a nerd)--but I find that I can experience any cookbook for free, and I always  purchase the ones that I truly love after a test-spin.  I'm a fan of the versions by Mollie Katzen, as well as by the Moosewood Collective. Some of my favorites are--'The New Moosewood Cookbook,' by Mollie Katzen, 'The Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table,' by the Moosewood Collective (probably one of my favs of all time), and 'Moosewood Restaurant New Classics,' also by the Moosewood collective. If you like the version by Katzen, I suggest that you also look into getting 'The Enchanted Broccoli Forest,' another publication of hers with some awesome and wild recipes to get the creative juice flowing in the kitchen.

The new book is entitled 'The Moosewood Resturant Cooking for Health: More than 200 New Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes for Delicious and Nutrient-Rich Dishes,' is a Moosewood Collective edition supporting a the notion that eating more vegetables and whole foods is better for your health than the traditional American diet of meat and potatoes. I am not a vegan or a vegetarian anymore, but I do typically cook mostly vegetarian food at home & I find that these books are just the thing I need in the kitchen with me.  I love these cookbooks because they are super creative, easy/not a million ingredients, and typically recipes are quick to make but come out as very impressive dishes and not to mention healthy! You can pre-order yours at http://www.amazon.com/, or click on the link above! I already have mine on order and I can't wait to see what this cookbook is all about!

Broccoli Cheese Sweet Potato Soup: Kid Friendly Vegetables!

I know Sara just posted a sweet potato soup recipe but here is a veggie one I made last night. This is an adaptation to a recipe for potato soup I found online. I really like sweet potatoes so I am constantly using them instead of regular baking potatoes then I wanted to use a carrot I had lying around and since there was so much orange I felt like adding some green so I picked up some broccoli.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients
 1/2 sweet onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 large sweet potatoes cubed
1 stalk of broccoli chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1c cheese
2tsp olive oil
3c Vegetable broth


Cookware
Large soup pan
Food processor or blender

Directions
In large soup pan heat olive oil, onions and garlic until onion is soft, then add sweet potatoes, stir for a few minutes (basically as long as it takes to chop carrot and broccoli), add carrots and broccoli, heat for about 3 to 4 minutes then add broth, bay leaf and salt and pepper, bring to a boil then let simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are very soft
Remove bay leaf then transfer soup to food processor or blender and mix until smooth
Transfer back to pot and add cheese, stir until melted (I forgot to do this step and just added cheese on top of each bowl of soup, it still turned out delicious)

Serves 4-5 (more or less depending on how big your appetite is)

This recipe would be a nice side dish also since it has a squash consistency. You can turn it into a sweet dish too by adding some cinnamon and brown sugar, maybe some marshmallows......

Save on Heat the Old Fashoned Way - Eat Soup! Roasted Sweet Potato, Thai Curry Squash & Roasted Squash with Crispy Bacon

Brrrrr! It sure has begun getting cold in Denver earlier than planned--we've already had our first snow a few weeks ago. Fall is definitely upon us. During those cold times, I love putting a big pot of hearty and satisfying soup on the stove to keep my body warm! I was recently gifted a bundle of recipes from my, well I suppose 'great-cousin,' (or would it be 'second cousin?'), Denyce from Florida. I am thrilled to have some new fantastic soups to concoct and create. These rich entries have come highly recommended from her cache, and are absolutely delicious!

Roasted Sweet Potato Soup

5 Med. Sweet Potatoes (abt 2 Lbs)

2 Tbls Butter

1 Med.onion

2 Stalks of Celery, chopped (abt1 C)

6 C Chicken Broth

1 Med. White Potato, peeled, diced (abt 1 C)

1/3 C Maple Syrup

1/8 teas Ground White Pepper

2 Tbls. Light Cream (Optional)

Either bake the sweet potatoes @ 400º abt 1 hour ('til fork tender) or cook in microwave.  Scoop out pulp and set aside.

Heat butter in 6 Qt saucepan over med. heat.  Add onion and celery and cook until tender.  Add the white potato and broth. Heat to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes until the potato is tender.  Add maple syrup, cream, white pepper and reserved sweet potato.

Use a blender (small batches)  to blend the soup. Return to pot, season, and simmer until heated.

*I use an emulsion wand right in the pan.    

Thai Curry Squash Soup

2 Tbls Veg. Oil

2  teas. Red Curry Powder

1 Butternut Squash, peeled, diced (abt 2 1/2 Lb - 6 C)

1 Lg. Onion, chopped

1 Tbls Fresh Grated Ginger

3 C Chicken Broth

1 Can (15 oz) Cream of Coconut

Heat oven to 425º  Put curry and oil into a bowl, add squash and onion..toss to coat.  Place into a baking pan and roast for about 25 mins until squash is tender.

Put vegetables and ginger into a 3 Qt saucepan.  Stir in the broth and cream of coconut.  Heat to a boil.  Reduce heat to low.  Cook for abt 20 minutes.

Use a blender (small batches)  to blend the soup. Return to pot, season, and simmer until heated.

*I use an emulsion wand right in the pan.  

Roasted Squash Soup with Crispy Bacon

1 Small Butternut Squash, diced (abt 1 1/2 Lb - abt. 4 Cups)

1 Lg. Onion, sliced (abt 2 C)

3 Tbls Olive Oil

3 C Chicken Broth

1/2 C Heavy Cream

1/4 C Real Bacon Bits (or 4 slices of bacon)

Heat the oven to 425º .  Put squash and onion in roasting pan.  Put in oil and toss to coat.  Bake for 25 minutes until squash is tender.

Place squash and onion into a 3 Qt saucepan.  Add broth, cream and bacon bits.

Use a blender (small batches)  to blend the soup. Return to pot, season, and simmer until heated.

*I use an emulsion wand right in the pan. 

**I think it would be a tasty amendment to add some brown sugar, and cook up the bacon in the oven first before crumbling into the soup.

RIP Gourmet Magazine 1941-2009: The Final Issue of Gourmet Magazine Hits Stands

Sad news! The November issue of Gourmet Magazine will be the last issue printed. Sniff sniff. When I discovered this was true I was shocked & disappointed! Gourmet has been a epicurean staple since WWII-1941, and a favorite mag of mine for years!!

Conde Nast recently decided to can the magazine since ad sales were down, and Bon Appetit's (a newer publication of Conde Nast) sales were slightly higher. This is surprising because I have always felt that Bon Appetit pales in comparison in so many ways to Gourmet, not only in articles but in recipes and layout in general. Now Conde Nast is now trying to fill the rest of my subscriptions with issues of Bon Appetit! I will definitely be getting my money back on this one so I can get a real epicurean mag like Saveur.

Ruth Reichl, editor of Gourmet Magazine was recently interviewed on NPR discussing the surprise cancellation of the magazine. Please listen here for the interview. Her latest memoir is entitled, 'Not Becoming My Mother: and Other Things she Taught me Along the Way.' 

Classic Side Dish - Simple Roasted Mini Smashed Potatoes

Simple Roasted Mini Smashed Potatoes
Serves 2-4


Ingredients

1 bag miniture red potaotes
olive oil
sea salt
cracked pepper
dollops creme freche
parsley finely chopped

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1. Wash and scrub poatotoes.  Peel skins off of the radius (optional), and place in a baking dish single layer.

2. Drizzle w/ a little OO, salt and pepper. Bake covered for about 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven.

3.  These are hot to be careful! Take each potato out of the pan, and smash with the flat side of a big knife, careful not to break them into pieces. Place back into the baking dish, leaving enough room around each. Add a little more OO if needed, or scoop some from the pan and drizzle over them.

4. Place back into the oven uncovered and cook another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are getting crsipy and browned.

Serve w/ a dollop of creme freche and chopped parsley! A great accompaniment to meat, or any other hearty main course!

Michael Pollan Releases The Omnivore's Dilemma Edition for Kids

This is cool. Michael Pollan author of The 'Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals,' 'Botany of Desire: A Plant's Eye View of the World,' 'In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto,' leader in natural foods education of the general populous (monoculture is bad, whole foods are good, eat little food mostly plants)-- is releasing a KIDS version of his original work the 'Omnivore's Dilemma' this October 15th for sale called 'The Omnivore's Dilemma for Kids: The Secrets Behind What You Eat.'

Excellent idea for teaching and interesting today's youth about food, how to cook food, where food comes from and the people & farmers the grow our food. It is so imperative that children demand better, healthier foods from the normal crap given to them by parents and school systems.

A great website called Meatless Mondays is working within the same vein to encourage a movement by challenging people to abstain from meat every Monday. They are going further by educating children (especially inner city youth) about eating a more plant based diet one meal a week--it's a start! The Baltimore City Public School system has begun adopting the Meatless Monday program throughout. Many of these kids NEVER eat vegetables at school or in their homes and are unaware of their importance to one's health and the utter deliciousness of these said veggies. This is a great step in the right direction for balance and health! Sign up, contribute or pledge on their website!

Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Carmelized Onions! An Inexpensive and Gourmet Dinner

There is something beyond delicious about a hunk of meat cooking in the oven for several hours-getting juicy, succulent & falling apart that is just so magical. Hee hee! Pork shoulder is a great meat for just this purpose. Not only is it flavorful and exquisite but it is a very inexpensive cut. You can purchase this cut leaner if you choose for a slightly higher price, but keep in mind the fat is where the flavor comes from. This recipe only takes about 1/2 hour to prepare. The rest of the time is spent in the oven getting tender for you!

Try and buy your pork locally farmed, & free-range! LargaVistaRanch & Western Spirit Ranch LLC are two local Colorado farms to check out for all your meat eating, and raw milk finding purposes also listings of distributors for greater convenience.

I recommend to serve this dish with mashed or roasted root vegetables (turnips, beets, parsnips, potatoes), sweet potatoes, sauteed spinach w/ garlic & lemon or green beans (my favorite!). See what your local farmers market has featured week!


Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onions
4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 (3-4 lb) bone in fresh pork shoulder half
2-3 garlic cloves cut into slivers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb (5-6 medium sized) bag of onions, halved lengthwise than cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices
3/4 cup unfiltered apple cider (I love Bragg's Apple Cider vinegar which can be purchased at any natural food store)
Salt/pepper to season

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F

2. Score fat and any skin in a cross-hatch pattern. Make slits all over the meat with a small sharp knife and insert a sliver of garlic in each. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat oil in a 4-5 qt heavy ovenproof pot over moderatly high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs or a carving fork for about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.

4. Add onion slices to pot and saute over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally until softened and starting to turn golden about 5 minutes. Add about 3/4 tsp salt, saute and stir 8-10 minutes more until the onions are caramelized.

5. Stir in cider and return pork to the pot. Cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil and place in the center of the oven to braise for 2 1/2-3 hours.

6. Remove from oven and transfer pork to a serving dish, garnish with roasted root vegetables.

7. Continue to boil the juices uncovered for approx. another 2-3 minutes until the juice is reduced to about 2 cups. Season w/ salt and pepper and serve next to the pork.

Life is Beautiful! The Beauty we Create

When I look at a space in a home, I see potential. I move furniture around in my mind, imagine colors on the walls, and place fireplaces and chandeliers freely. It is important for my (currently very small) personal space, my homestead-- to be organized, clean and above all pleasing to the eye, and in turn pleasing to my mind. The way my furniture is arranged is important for optimum space, functionality and mobility which was well thought out; as was the specific type and style of items I have chosen to display in my home such as vases, tables and chairs. Minimalistic as possible, least amount of extraneous items that I need.


Maybe you are out of a job, or perhaps your company is encouraging you to work more from home to save on overhead costs--but either way more and more Americans are spending more time at home. I think this is great! Not the jobless part, but the homebody part. Being at home is awesome! You have all your stuff around you, you can wear your boxers to work, you can take your dog on a walk--it totally rocks. The issue I am bringing up is beauty. It's important, that if you have not yet, to take some time arranging your space in a conscious manner to better please your minds eye. It is a total relief. You will understand once you begin to do it, and start to see the results. If you are bad at this ask a friend who has a gift to assist. Oh and don't forget to put the toilet seat and lid down--its totally bad feng shui.

If we like having our personal space as an oasis, organized to our standards of comfort and beauty what about the rest of the world--as our space? I guess my point is that if we tried--in everything that we do, to make it beautiful and comfortable can you imagine how much better this planet would be for it? For our morale? If the dumpsters in my alley were painted in rainbows instead of green, or shaped in a geometric way (which I am sure was a topic of high importance at Waste Management), or people were constantly writing in chalk on the sidewalks, and everywhere I went people were flying kites. Now I was just going off there, but there are an infinite number of things that we can do to create beauty in the world. It's up to you.
I was walking down the street the other day in my neighborhood with my dog Jelly and I saw that someone knit a sweater on a tree and I laughed, how awesome! I could just picture some mad knitter in the wee hours of the evening nervously knitting away lest they be caught! This simple action gives so much and takes nothing away from anyone. It is perfect. The tree pictured is a bit more than the simple 'tree-warmer' I saw, but no less fantastic.

I think perhaps a good meditation is to remember that we are all creative people, whether we choose to explore it or not. We create our own lives & situations everyday, whether we are present about it or not. Adding a little beauty to it never hurt, and please add it in your own unique way as that is the only acceptable form.

Cuban Food! Spicy Sweet Cinnamon Laced Picadillo & Traditional Cuban Black Beans

I tried my hand at making some Cuban food this last weekend, and it was a great success--not to mention delicious! Not only was the Picadillo (Cuban pork hash) dish easy to prepare it took less than a 1/2 hour to make from start to finish. I really appreciated the cinnamon spices in this recipe, as it is very forward.

The beans were excellent, with a bit of vinegar & spices added. Although they take a little more leg work. I'd recommend making a double batch and making burritos or huevos for breakfast later in the week! They are so good!


Picadillo (Cuban pork hash)
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola or olive oil
1 4" cinnamon stick
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp ground cinnamon, halved
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground cloves
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 lbs ground pork
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup green pimento-stuffed olives, sliced in half
1 28oz. can whole peeled fire roasted tomatoes, un-drained, crushed
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Heat oil in a 12" cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add cinnamon stick, onions, and peppers; cook, stirring until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add half the ground cinnamon, oregano, cloves, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

2. Add pork and cook breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it browns, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; add raisins, olives, and tomatoes.

3. Cook until liquid has evaporated (think hash), about 20 minutes. Stir in the remainder of the ground cinnamon, almonds and vinegar.

*Serve with warm tortillas, and Cuban black beans!


Frijoles Negros (Black Beans) Cuban Style
Makes 2 1/2 cups or serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 lb dried black beans
2 qts water
2/3 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
2 tsp powdered chicken/ham/vegetable boullion
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp whole dried oregano, crushed
2 tbsp sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp dry wine (or I substituted lemon juice)
1 1/2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup chopped white onions, (mixed w/ a splash of red wine vinegar, a pinch of allspice and pepper--or just plain as a topping)

Directions

1. Pick over the dried beans, removing any rocks, or broken, shriveled beans. Wash well and soak over night in water, plus an additional 2 inches covering the top.

2. The next day, drain the beans run in fresh running water and drain again. Discard any that float to the top.

3. Place beans in a large stew pot with the water. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and reduce to simmer for 45 minutes.

4. Meanwhile in a skillet, heat oil and gently saute peppers, onions and garlic for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

5. Add 1 cup of the beans to the skillet and mash together. Add this mash back to the pot.

6. Add to the pot salt, pepper, oregano, bay leaves, cumin, sugar and boullion powder. Cover and simmer 1 hour on medium heat.

7. Uncover and add vinegar and wine and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Uncover and cook until the sauce thickens. Add more water if required.

8. Salt and pepper if desired, serve with chopped onions!

Mom's Famous Swiss Chard Soup

I was just gifted a HUGE bag of Swiss chard today from my father's garden, and now I need to figure out what to do with all of this bounty. I enjoy chard typically sauteed with a little oil or butter, lemon juice (optional) and salt and pepper as a side dish, in a stir-fry, as a substitute for lettuce in a sandwich or in place of a tortilla in a wrap. Yum!

However, my most favorite use of the Swiss chard is the Swiss chard soup that my mother makes this time of year! It is a family favorite. This soup really brings out the flavors of the chard, with little spice and butter it is really a very simple but delicious and warming soup. Not to mention the colors are fantastic!


Mom's Famous Swiss Chard Soup
Makes 6 cups

Ingredients

1 lb Swiss chard
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 cup celery
1 cup chopped leeks or onions
4 tbsp butter
1/2 lbs potatoes
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Wash chard; separate the leaves and ribs. String ribs if necessary and thinly slice. Remove any thick ribs from the back of larger leaves. Fold in half and slice into 1/2 inch thick pieces. In a large saucepan, stew the chard ribs, carrots, celery and leeks or onions in butter for 5 minutes until wilted.

2. Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes; add to chard rib mixture along with broth and salt. Cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Mash some of the potatoes against the pan to thicken the broth. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the leaves are barely tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Reconnecting with the Earth - Through Food

I have been slapping down some serious recipes on the Carving-Tree blog lately, but my intention for this blog is not to create only a recipe book. My intentions are to spark and ignite a passion or food, or if the passion flames on than to fan it. The recipes are the fodder.

I must admit I am excited for the fall soups and stews, the warm comfort foods, the spicy Indian curries, gooey casseroles and the tart apple ciders! The seasonal changes bring about a whole new array of tastes & recipes to prepare as well as new vegetables and foods to work with. A different attitude about cuisine, brought about by the weather, pushing us indoors demanding we settle down and cozy up for a few moments.


I think we forget how connected we are to the land that provides us with the bounty of life, (especially since we can buy Avocados in the winter time with conventional agriculture mind you they are $4/pc)--but traditionally we would only be blessed with certain vegetables or meats if we lived in the region in which it was grown or raised, and it would need to be in season. We are so spoiled! Its an amazing blessing and a hindrance at the same time. It's a hand that no other humans in history have been dealt. Who would have thought that the consequences of a stable source of food might mean an abstraction between us and our life-giving planet, or that we would be eating a very small variety of whole foods with the advent of monoculture, causing all kinds of diseases and allergies to run rampant in our society--& I am barely skimming the surface of all of the other issues that abound from our culture's need to feed!

It's so very important for each of us to stay in tune with the seasons, with what foods we are consuming & why, with the natural rhythm of the land--I mean as much as we can in our daily lives. Many of us work so damn much we are lucky to see the sun in the winter months for more than a few hours a day, and I am sure most of my readers are not farmers ;). In this situation it is of utmost importance to stay connected. Even if I am having a stressful day at work, and for lunch I pack a delicious slice of pumpkin pie, or a sweet potato curry suddenly I am transported to a bit of nature and I like feeling that connection. Through food & the simple act of sharing a meal we can reconnect with ourselves and each other. Not in the over consumption of foods, less consumption--higher quality of food & more celebration in every action.

Soup's On: Mushroom Barley

Mushroom and Barley...a classic soup combination, and one that practically screams "Fall". This hearty and wholesome soup is great on a chilly day. The addition of Ginger and hot Chiles gives this version an extra kick! But don't worry...the Barley and Mushrooms will regulate the spiciness.


Mushroom Barley Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Crimini/Baby Portobello Mushrooms, sliced on the thick side
1 large Onion, diced
5 stalks Celery, sliced 1/8-inch thick (into little "C" shapes)
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 c. dry Hulled Barley
2-3 tbsp. Butter or Olive Oil
6 c. Vegetable Broth or Chicken Stock
1/4 tsp. dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. dried Basil
*Fresh Ginger, cut 3-4 Quarter-sized slice
*1-2 dried hot Chiles (i.e. Red Thai, Chile de Arbol)
*2 Bay Leaves
Fresh-Cracked White Pepper (I like White for the subtler flavor/the color blends into the soup)
Salt

*these will be removed before serving, so don't crush/cut them up!

Directions:
1. Heat Butter/Olive Oil in a large pot, over Med-High heat. Add Onion & Celery, saute for 5 minutes. Add the Garlic, Oregano, Basil & a sprinkle of Salt and saute for another 3-5 minutes.

2. Add the Veg Stock/Broth to the pot and bring to a boil. At this point, taste the broth (carefully) to make sure it is Salted to your liking...(many store-bought Stocks and Broths are pretty heavily salted already, so you may not need to add any more)...it's best to add any additional Salt BEFORE you add the Barley.

3. Stir in the Barley, Ginger, Chiles, Bay leaves and some White Pepper (to taste). Return to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer for 20-30 minutes...make sure to stir it every couple of minutes, and taste the Barley for doneness (Barley will still be a bit on the chewy side when it's finished, but it should not be hard/crunchy in the middle).

4. If the soup starts getting too thick as the Barley soaks up the broth, you can add an additional cup or two of Water (with a little Salt) or Stock.

5. When the Barley is done, remove the Bay Leaves, Ginger slices & Chiles and discard.

6. Add the sliced Mushrooms to the soup. Stirring frequently, simmer for 5-10 minutes or until they are cooked through to your liking.

7. Serve and garnish with a little White Pepper.

Save a Little Green! Eat What's in Season: October

How to stretch your dollar at the grocery store is on everyone's mind. Food prices are not getting any cheaper. Buying seasonal produce is a sure fire way to save a little money when shopping.

This list is helpful to outline what you will see popping up in the produce aisle and local farmers markets so be sure to stock up! I can already smell the baked cranberry pumpkin bread in the air!

October
cranberries, apples, pomegranates, grapes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, winter squash, broccoli, spinach, lettuce

Always a good deal
Potatoes, banana, celery