Barley Chili

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Now that the days have been cooler, I’ve been craving chili. But I wanted to try something different, so I played around with several recipes and came up with this unusual but delicious vegetarian version.  My inspiration was barley soup, so I thought, why not try barley in chili?  The result was both warming and tasty.  This chili is full of anti-oxidant rich, heart healthy vegetables, and is low in calories, so if you want a second serving, go for it!  

Diff:  Easy  Prep:  45 min  Cook:  25 min  Serves  8

Ingredients:

¾ c. barley

2 cups boiling water

1 large green pepper, finely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

2  T. olive oil

1 can (16 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (16 oz) Grilling beans – beans in seasoned tomato sauce

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 can green chili peppers, mild

2 Thai hot red chili peppers, seeds removed, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ ground cumin

¾ c. shredded cheddar cheese (can use reduced fat)

*can add chopped roasted chicken (1-2 cups)

 

Directions:

Place barley in a large bowl, pour in boiling water.  Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.  Drain water and squeeze dry.

 

In a large saucepan or stockpot, sauté green peppers and onion in oil until tender.

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Stir in the drained barley.

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Then stir in tomato juice, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, Thai hot red chili peppers, green chili peppers, garlic and cumin.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

 

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Enjoy!

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Hope this warms you up on chilly days!

Until next week, wishing you all of God’s Blessings, good health and happy eating!

Smiles, Maria 

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