Short Rib and Barley Soup

Your going to want a fresh baked loaf of french bread or a grilled cheese to soak up every bit of this savory and sophisticated version of the classic vegetable beef soup.

Ingredients:

• 4 beef short ribs

• 1lb stew meat

• sliced baby bella mushrooms

• 1 green bell pepper (diced)

• 1 Vidalia onion (diced)

• 5 garlic cloves (minced)

• 1 cup diced celery

• 1 cup diced carrot

• 14oz. can diced tomatoes

• 8oz. can corn

• 1/2 cup red wine

• 16oz. beef bone broth

• 32oz. beef stock

• 1/2 cup dried pearl barley

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1/2 tablespoon adobo seasoning

• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a large soup pot on medium high heat and add olive oil. Sear the short ribs on all sides first then remove and set aside in a bowl or plate with a rim (to catch any drippings). Sear the stew meat, remove and set aside with the short ribs. Add the mushrooms and salt them, saute for a few minutes until most of the water has cooked out. Then add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Season with adobo, oregano, salt and pepper and saute until partially cooked and fragrant. Pour the red wine in and scrape all the goodies off the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon while the alcohol is evaporating, then add tomatoes and corn. Add the celery, carrots, and pour in the bone broth and soy sauce, stir thoroughly. Add the meat back to the pot (with all its juices) and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and cover with lid, simmer for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the short ribs when the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Add the beef stock and turn the heat back to medium high. When soup come to a boil, add the barley, cover and reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until barley is cooked. While the barley is cooking in the soup, de-bone the short ribs and cut or shred into bite size pieces, removing any extra fat that hasn’t dissolved, then add it back to the soup. Remove pot from heat and stir thoroughly, taste test for salt and pepper, and your ready to serve!

CAUTION: SOUP IS HOT AND DELICIOUS!

Cook Time: 4-5 hours, makes 8-10 servings.

Roasted Chicken Sausage and Veggies

Ingredients:

• 6 links smoked chicken sausage

• 2 medium zucchinis

• 2 medium yellow squash

• 1/2 red onion

• 1 1/3 cups sprouted brown rice

• 2 2/3 cups chicken broth

• salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. and spray two baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray (I recommend avocado oil). Cook rice in a medium pot or rice cooker, using chicken broth instead of water. While rice is cooking, slice squash, zucchini, and red onion into bite size pieces and scatter onto baking sheets. Then slice chicken sausage into bite size pieces and add to baking sheets. Make sure everything is spread out evenly on baking sheets, it will not roast correctly if bunched up. Roast veggies and sausage in oven for about 20 minutes or until done. Allow rice, sausage and roasted veggies to cool, then portion into meal prep containers.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

• 2pk 9” pie crusts

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (organic)

• 1 medium sweet or yellow onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 bunch broccoli (chopped)

• 1 pack small potatoes (quartered)

• 12oz. green beans

• 10oz. pack frozen peas and carrots

• 8oz. can sweet corn (drained)

• 32oz. chicken broth

• splash of white wine

• 1/2 cup cream

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 1 teaspoon basil

• salt and pepper (to taste)

Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat and brown chicken thighs. Remove and set the chicken aside, then saute onion and garlic until fragrant. Add in cornstarch and seasonings and whisk out any clumps (add a tab of butter if needed). Pour in a splash of wine and stir until alcohol has evaporated. One at a time, add in the potatoes, broccoli, green beans, corn, peas and carrots, stirring as you go. Then add the cream and chicken broth and bring to boil. While the veggies are heating up, cut up the chicken thighs and put them back in the pot. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and potatoes are fully cooked, then remove from heat and taste to see if you need additional salt and pepper. Prepare the bottom pie crusts in two 9” deep dish (or allow to fully cool and store it for later). Pour the pie filling into the crusts almost to the top, do not overfill. Lay the top crust over the pie, crimp and seal the edges and trim the excess crust. With a knife, cut some vent holes into top of the crust. Bake at 425 degrees F. for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.