Mushroom "Barley" Soup ( Gluten Free Version)

I know it seems strange to make a mushroom barley soup without the barley. But being gluten free, I can not eat barley ( It is not gluten free) .  This recipe is my best gluten free version of a soup that reminds me the most of Mushroom Barley Soup.

When I was young, my mother used to make a thick heavy soup in the winter that was authentically called mushroom barley soup. The recipe originated in Eastern Europe where mushrooms could be dried and stored for the  long very cold winter and barley was always plentiful. The soup was hearty and delicious.

Over the years,  I've longed for the soup that I remembered from my youth. I've tried to make a gluten free version . It's not exactly the same, but it is similar and exceptionally delicious.

I'm still using mushrooms, but replaced the starchy  barley with a starchy dried bean. I used a baby lima bean. It works great and dried baby lima beans do not taste ANYTHING like a green lima bean.. trust me on that one. The soup is hearty and delicious ,  just like the soup my mother used to make.

If you prefer a Paleo version, just leave out the beans- it will still taste great! Just cut the cooking time to 45 minutes. 
OR if you are in a hurry and want a fast mushroom soup, you can make my delicious Mushroom Bisque 

This mushroom "barley" soup is perfect for the colder weather and is extremely satisfying. I think it would also be a nice hearty addition to a Thanksgiving meal.

When I have a group, ( as I often do because we are a very large family) ,I use my crock pot as a soup server  and keep my soup in the crock pot on warm until ready to serve. For a formal dinner I serve the soup and bring it to the table; for an informal buffet, I keep a ladle next to the crock pot and some mugs and allow everyone to serve themselves! It works great!

Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Requires: overnight soaking of beans
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Ingredients: 
1 and half cups of dried baby white lima beans, soaked overnight in a large bowl of water ( they will expand)
 ( baby limas are white and are available in a bag in the dried bean section of the supermarket- does not taste anything like the green lima beans- trust me on that one!)
1 cup of chopped onion
1/4 cup olive oil or coconut oil
1 cup of chopped celery with leaves
1 cup of diced carrot
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 cups vegetable broth
6 cups water
1/4 cup chopped curly parsley
2 cups of sliced white or sliced baby portabella mushrooms


Directions: 
The night before: 
Soak the dried baby lima beans in a large bowl of water overnight

In the morning, drain the beans and do not use the soaked water.
In a large soup pot , slowly sauté the onions in the olive oil.
When onions begin to soften, add the celery, carrots, and garlic and continue to saute until all vegetables begin to soften.
Add the drained lima beans,  the 8 cups vegetable broth, and the 6 cups of water
Allow to cook for an hour covered on a medium heat. Check to stir occasionally.
After the hour, add the sliced mushrooms and parsley and continue to cook for another hour partially covered on a medium heat. **If the liquid starts to cook down, add a cup of vegetable broth and then a cup of water alternately.

dried baby lima beans soaking overnight in water 

Chopping veggies for the soup

I couldn't decide which photo to use - I made the one above on Picmonkey and the one in the beginning of the post on Canva! S0 - I've included them both! Which do you prefer ? Do you use Picmonkey or Canva?

What would you use instead of the barley? Is there a better substitute? Please leave a comment

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Food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my new recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.

Author: Judee Algazi

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Paleo English muffins ( Quick)

Why am I making a Paleo recipe? I have been gluten free for 14 years, but I've only been grain free for 6 weeks and I'm trying add more variety to my grain free diet. Paleo baked recipes are usually fabulous, low carb and healthy.  This recipe makes one muffin and only has 2.5 net carbs,

There are three reasons that I like a recipe which only makes one serving .
1. It's really quick and easy ( I can make it fresh for my own breakfast)
2. I won't over eat ( portion control) It only makes one muffin
3. Leftovers won't end up getting stale. ( sometimes I make things with coconut flour,  and if we don't eat it immediately by the next day it starts to dry out)

Did I mention that I'm trying to lose weight ( yes again- that 10 pounds just won't stay away) and low carb works best for me not only for weight loss, but to also help stabilize my blood sugar. I've been eating mostly vegetables, salads,  nuts, and proteins but I'm craving something more. I think this low carb grain free English muffin will do it for me ! AND Since I'm doing low carb, I can put butter on it! Yum!

I would consider following the ever popular Paleo diet, but as a vegetarian, it would be difficult and  limiting. I think the Paleo concept and way of eating is a good one. I think in general we eat way too many processed foods and too much sweets ( even fruit) .

Beware! Today's fruit is not like fruit of years ago. Today's fruit is much bigger, much sweeter, and much more plentiful. People used to eat fruit in season- they even gathered their own berries and ate less of it. That may have been a good thing.

Today's fruit is mostly hybrids that have been developed to be larger, sweeter, and more beautiful . The larger size and sweeter fruit may be more than our blood sugar can handle. I believe that today's fruit is just way too full of sugar (Despite being a fruit lover) . I've cut back on the amount I eat, and truthfully I feel better and my blood sugar is more stable. I concentrate on eating berries which are the lowest glycemic index fruits. ( My change in attitude was a result of reading Wheat Belly by Dr, Davis and Grain Brain by Dr. Perlmutter- two new books by doctors who say grain and sweets are setting us up for diabetes, all kind of autoimmune disorders, arthritis, skin problems, and even brain fogginess, learning problems and dementia.

Prior to making the change in my diet to lower carb, I had been feeling tired, foggy, and had a lot of mood swings. I was craving sweets and overeating. Since I cut out the grain and limit the fruits- I actually do feel better. I feel like I'm less foggy, I stopped craving sweets, and the mood swings are gone. I have more energy too.

Back to the recipe: I saw thie grain free Paleo bread recipe that I'm making today on a site called Simply Vegetarian Paleo  . The site posts recipes authored by lots of different bloggers.

This particular Paleo English Muffin recipe came from a healthy blog called Beauty and The Foodie.  .I liked the blog so much , I am now a follower. Kathy posts lots of recipes worth checking out. Apparently there are ways to be a vegetarian and follow the Paleo diet. This is my adaption of Kathy's recipe.

Author of this recipe: Judee Algazi
Prep Time:

Ingredients:
1 egg beaten
1 Tablespoon of Almond Milk
1 Tablespoon of coconut flour **( if you are not on a grain free diet, you could try gf flour mix)
1/2 Tablespoon of coconut oil ( or olive oil)
1/8 teaspoon of aluminum free baking powder
optional: if you like it a little sweetness  add 1/2 tsp honey and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Beat the egg in a bowl add then  remainder of ingredients and mix with a fork until smooth. Transfer batter to a single ramekin and bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.( Stacy from  Beauty and The Foodie.   said you can also microwave the ramekin for 1 and half minutes -I don't usually microwave if I can help it, - but it would be fast)

Once baked. Take a knife and loosen the sides of the ramekin and the muffin will slide right out. When cool enough to handle, slice the muffin in half and toast it in a frying pan, making sure to press it down.
 It's uncanny  how it looks exactly like an English Muffin. 

** MY Notes: Personally, I liked it but it didn't exactly taste like an English Muffin to me. It tasted a little egg-ier at first. However, I found a way that I did think it tasted more like an English muffin. After toasting and cooling, I placed it in the refrigerator uncovered for a few hours. It wasn't as eggy and was dry and crisp- more like an English Muffin.( you could probably put it in the fridge for 1/2 hour)

 Spread it with nut butter or fruit spread and enjoy. It holds together very well and is grain free, gluten free, healthy with the looks and has the consistency of an English muffin.

I now make mine the night before, and leave it in the fridge so I have it in the morning .

It's so fast an easy, why not try it for yourself and let me know your opinion.


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 My ramekin

ramekin with batter

After baking 

I cut the baked muffin in half with a sharp knife

I placed the muffin halves in a sprayed pan and cooked on each side ( don't forget to flip it over) 

Place a plate on top of the two muffin halves to press them down or use a spatula

I made another batch with chopped herbs from my garden

Books I recommend 

Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis

Grain Brain by Dr. Perlmutter

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Paleo Roasted Onions and Butternut ( zero PP on WW)

Onions taste sweet, tender, and very delicious when roasted ( kind of like caramelized onions) . When roasted together with butternut squash, the mixture develops into a fabulous, filling side that is not only worthy enough to make for company, but it is also yummy enough to be served on Thanksgiving .

This gluten free, vegan, Paleo friendly recipe is easy to make, can be made in advance, and makes a lovely presentation . ( Perfect for when you have a mix of guests- and now-a-days who doesn't? : vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, or nut free. You won't have to worry about allergies, and all can indulge.)
It's also great just for your family for dinner. Most kids love it because butternut is a very sweet squash .
Since it's now squash season, take advantage of these healthy seasonal vegetables that are loaded with nutrients and health protecting antioxidants. If you are intimidated about peeling and cutting up the squash, you could take a short cut. I've seen many supermarkets offer packages of fresh cut up butternut that you can just take home and use. If you are more adventurous, cutting up the squash is not difficult, and I prefer cutting my own. A butternut squash can be kept in a cool place ( not refrigerator) for at least 2 weeks. So, it's there when you need it.

Eating real food translates into real health.

If you are watching your weight, butternut squash  is lower in calories and a great substitution for yams in most recipes.

Use a sharp peeler and peel . It takes me about 5 minutes

Doesn't the rich orange color look fabulous?

I have to apologize, I forgot to take a picture of the vegetables lined up on the cookie sheet.. before and after roasting..

Ingredients: 
4 cups of uncooked butternut squash, peeled and sliced on cubed
1 large onion, sliced in half moons
optional: 1 sweet red pepper, seeded and sliced into strips ( I added it)
coconut oil spray or coconut oil ( I get the spray at Trader Joe's)
1 tsp of Cinnamon

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 400
Place a piece of parchment paper on a large cookie sheet
Arrange the butternut squash on the parchment paper and spread the onions over the top. Add the red pepper strips too if desired.  Spray vegetables generously with coconut oil spray (Trader Joe's )
or generously brush with coconut oil. Dust with cinnamon (not too much)
Roast for about 30-40 minutes until the squash is tender checking after about 20 minutes and turn vegetables if needed.

I only have the after pictures:

Absolutely Delicious

Today's Quote: A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though he/she knows you are slightly cracked.   --Bernard Melzer 

Another side dish for a vegetarian or vegan Thanksgiving.

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Cider Glazed Butternut Squash

This Cider Glazed Butternut squash dish is an amazing recipe. It is made with only two ingredients and is very easy to make. 

I used butternut squash, but you could substitute sweet potatoes or any kind of winter squash.

It's as simple as 1-2-3. Just cube the vegetable and then roast or steam it.

Why I steamed my squash instead of roasting it

• When I am short on time, steaming vegetables is a faster method than roasting.
• I could have just as well have roasted the cubed squash by tossing the cubes in a little olive oil or aquafaba (see notes at end of post) and then roast them at 400 degrees for about 30  minutes. Steaming takes about 15 minutes.
• Steaming makes the squash softer and moister; Roasting makes the squash a little sweeter but firmer. Either way it is delicious; It's your choice!

I find that this recipe tastes like a candied yam.
It's a great way to serve any winter squash or sweet potatoes without any added table sugar.

If you are entertaining, this recipe really works for most guests because it is not only gluten free and vegan, but also allergy friendly.

• Gluten free/grain free
• Dairy free
• Egg free
• Nut free. 
• Low in calories and low in fat. 

Perfect For Fall Holidays
I like to serve this recipe for Thanksgiving or even Rosh Hashana

I actually made it for company tonight and there was not a morsel left over.

Ingredients: 
6 cups of cubed butternut squash (or yams or any winter squash)
1/2 cup spiced apple cider (Trader Joe's)
Optional: sprinkle with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (link to DIY recipe)

Directions: 
Place steamer basket in a large pot with lid. Add cubed squash or yams. Steam for about 15 minutes until vegetable is soft. In a separate pan bring the apple cider to a boil. Allow the liquid to reduce until you have a thickened glaze. Remove vegetable and drizzle with the glaze. ( or I cooked my squash in the apple cider for the last 5 minutes. Serve in a flat Pyrex of other dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Raw and Ready to steam or roast

Notes:

1. Purchase pre-cut butternut squash to make this recipe even easier

2. Aquafaba is the liquid that is formed when cooking chickpeas or the liquid in a can of chickpeas. I use it instead of oil to roast vegetables (mostly to save calories). 

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