A fancy mix of flavors and textures will charm even the most hardcore carnivore

Mix this dish up in a flash and
bring everyone to the table
Like I told you recently, Steve has made a commitment to eat more veggies. He has no plan to be a vegetarian, but he does want to be healthier.
Baby steps.
I'm trying to find new and exciting ways to present the same old things.
Plain old beans? That is no way to entice anyone into a healthier lifestyle. Barley? What the heck is that?
So, I found this recipe on the Splendid Table website (http://splendidtable.publicradio.org) and it sounded delish. Lots of flavors all melded together and some different textures to give it a bit more ooomph.
By the way, if you're looking for some culinary inspiration on the go, give a listen to the Splendid Table on American Public Media...it's a great show. It's not all vegetarian, but the host makes cooking exciting and sexy. 
This is a fast recipe that smells absolutely heavenly while it's cooking. It actually brought Steve up to the kitchen to check out what was on the menu.
Can't do better than that!

Tart Pan Roasted Chickpeas with Black Olives and Barley

3 tablespoons of olive oil2 tablespoons of wine or cider vinegar
10 pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 of a medium red onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tightly-packed tablespoons fresh mint leaves, torn
1 large clove of garlic, minced
2/3 cup of grape tomatoes, quartered1/2 tablespoon of the vinegar of your choice1 generous teaspoon of  tomato paste1/2 to 1 cup of vegetable broth
1-1/2 cups of cooked barley (1/2 cup raw)
  • •Pour the oil and the 2 tablespoons vinegar into a sauté pan. Set the pan over high heat.
  • •Once it's bubbling, add the olives, the chickpeas, the onion, and the salt and pepper.
  • •Sauté the whole lot, stirring often, for 4 minutes, or until the chickpeas are getting brown, but don’t let them burn.
  • •Stir in about two-thirds of the mint, all of the garlic, tomatoes, and the ½ tablespoon of the vinegar.
  • •Stir and cook over medium high until the tomatoes start to soften (3 minutes).
  • •Blend in the tomato paste, 1/2 cup of broth, and the barley. Adjust the heat so the broth simmers.
  • •Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes, or until nearly half the liquid is simmered off. Taste for seasoning.
  • •Serve hot, or at room temperature sprinkled with the remaining mint.

  • Vegetarian









Popular Posts