week of February 27

Beef and Barley Garden Stew - one of my favorite use-whatever-random-veggies-I-can-find recipes.  Start with sautéing ground beef and chopped onions, add some garlic, throw in a bunch of chopped tomatoes or a couple cans of undrained diced tomatoes, then finish with some broth and whatever chopped veggies sound good to you.  Season to taste.  I also like to add about 1/2 cup of barley to make the finished product thick and more stew-like.  This pot included potatoes, turnip, carrot, parsnip, cabbage, and celeriac.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Beet, Feta, and Arugula Salad with homemade vinaigrette - my contribution to our community group dinner.

Greek Pasta Chicken Salad - I use some of this dressing to marinate the chicken.  I mix the cooked chicken with cooked penne pasta, chunked cucumbers and tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, and toss it with more of the dressing.  My family devours this!  And my son was thrilled when he realized that the entire meal, which I serve in one large bowl, has something included from every food group!

Pizza and salad

Date-night in: Swiss Chard Tacos with spiced black beans while kids ate leftover pasta salad

Acorn Squash with Rice Pilaf (again!)



Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars - a new breakfast that we all enjoyed in the morning, and as a snack the next few days.  I made several changes from the original recipe that are reflected below:

BASE LAYER
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp coconut oil (not melted)
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 heaping scoop plant-based protein powder
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt

TOPPING
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
6 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 Tbsp maple syrup
juice of one lemon
2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup sliced almonds (or any kind of chopped nut)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 8x11 baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the banana, maple syrup, oils and vanilla.  Using electric or hand mixer, mix until smooth.  Add in the oats, protein powder, cinnamon and salt and mix until well combined.  Mixture will be wet.  Transfer the mixture to the pan.  Smooth it out with a spatula and press it down evenly.  Bake for 10 minutes.

While bottom layer is baking, in the same mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the topping layer until well combined.

After first layer is done baking, remove pan from oven.  Pour topping layer over and spread it out evenly, pressing it down into the base layer.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes.  Allow the bars to cool and set for 15-20 minutes before slicing into square servings.  Store in refrigerator.