Red Peppers and Pearl Barley Bake

redpeppers

redpeppersWhat You Need:

1 C vegetable broth
1/2 C of pearl barley
2 C feta cheese, crumbled
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 C roasted red peppers packed in oil
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut in strips
1 T of lemon juice
4 Portobello mushrooms, sliced thin
3 C of spinach, roughly chopped

How to Make It:

Adjust the oven temperature to 450 degrees allowing the oven to preheat.
Generously coat a cast iron or oven proof Dutch oven with a non stick cooking spray.
Pour the broth into the pan.
Add the barley, stir and smooth into an even layer.
Spread the cheese over the barley.
Place the garlic, roasted red peppers and bell pepper strips into the pan.
Dribble the lemon juice over the other ingredients.
Place the mushrooms into the pan.
Add as much spinach to the pan as you fit and still have a tight fitting lid.
Cover the pan and place in the oven for 45 minutes or until the barley is tender.

Makes 4 servings

The sweet addition of both roasted and fresh peppers along with the salty feta cheese makes for a delicious side dish. Serve this dish with white fish, seafood, chicken or even pork.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Baking Time: approximately 45 minutes
Total Time: approximately 1 hour

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)
Calories 461; Fat 25g; Carbohydrates 36g; Cholesterol 80 mg; Sodium 143 mg; Protein 35g; Fiber 6g

Grilled Portobello and Bell Pepper Submarines

submarine

submarineWhat You Need:

1 lb. Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, sliced thin
1 green bell pepper, julienne
1 red bell pepper, julienne
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 C tomato sauce, heated
4 submarine rolls
1 (4 oz.) pkg. provolone cheese slices

How to Make It:

The grill rack is lightly oiled and the grill is heated to medium.
In a large mixing bowl put the mushrooms, onions, pepper and olive oil.
Add the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper and blend until the vegetables are well coated.
Divide the vegetables in half.
One half of the vegetables are put on the grilled and cooked 10 minutes, or until tender tossing frequently.
Grill the remaining half of the vegetables in the same manner.
Reset the grill to low heat.
Brush the inside of the submarine rolls with the tomato sauce.
Place 1/4 of the grilled vegetables onto each roll.
Top each sandwich with a slice of cheese.
Close each and sandwich and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil.
Place the wrapped sandwiches on the grill for 10 minutes or until crispy and the cheese has melted.

Barbecue Mushroom Sandwich

mushrooms

mushroomsWhat You Need:

1/4 C ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp onion, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
8 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced 1/2 inch thick
4 onion slices, 1/2 inch thick
8 slices whole wheat bread

How to Make It:

Heat the grill to medium temperature.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together the ketchup and brown sugar until the brown sugar has dissolved.
Mix in the soy sauce, garlic, onion, and cumin.
Evenly brush the mushrooms and onion slices with the barbecue sauce.
Grill the mushrooms and onions 10 minutes or until tender, turning often.
Toast the bread slices on the grill 2 minutes per side.
Brush a little of the remaining barbecue sauce onto one side of each slice of toasted bread.
Arrange a slice of mushroom and a slice of onion onto four slices of bread.
Place the remaining 4 slices of toasted bread on top to complete the sandwiches.

Crab and Red Pepper Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

momlocket
What You Need:

2 (5 oz) Portobello mushrooms
2 T of olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (6 oz.) can crabmeat, drained and flaked
5 t mayonnaise
1 sweet red pepper, halved and roasted
2 provolone cheese slices

How to Make It:

Remove the stems from the mushrooms, discard then rinse the mushrooms well.
Dry the mushrooms with paper towel.
Set the oven to the broil setting and allow the broiler to heat.
Generously spray a baking sheet with a non stick cooking spray.
Place the oil and garlic into a small mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
Brush the mixture over each of the mushrooms.
Place the mushrooms on the baking sheet and broil 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to tender.
Place the crabmeat and mayonnaise into a small mixing bowl and blend together well.
Place the red pepper halves into each of the mushrooms.
Place the crab meat mixture evenly into the mushrooms.
Arrange a slice of cheese over each mushroom.
Broil for 1 minutes or until the cheese is starting to melt but not browning.

Makes 2 servings

Preparation time: approximately 20 minutes
Broiling time: approximately 6 minutes
Total time: approximately 26 minutes

If crab is not one of Mom’s favorite foods fill the mushroom with shredded pork or beef instead. To roast your pepper halves grease a cookie sheet with a little olive oil. Place the peppers on the cookie sheet. Roast them in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until tender.