Today was my last day of New World Cuisine, and I think I did really well on my final exam and my grilling practical.  Sorry for the lack of class pictures this week – it is practical exam time, which means I need to be focused on cooking for a grade, and not stopped to photograph each stage of cooking!

Of all the things I learned in this class, I think the most important has been my increased sense of self confidence.  I am no longer recipe-obsessed and paranoid about screwing up – instead I am much more willing to experiment and throw flavors together and hope for the best!  As evidenced in tonight’s dinner, but first another topic…

I headed out for a 3 mile (very cold) run with the doggies tonight – the first official training run for the Flying Pig Marathon!!  Third time’s a charm, right?  I did an adapted version of Hal Higdon’s 18-week marathon plan, but since I only have 16 weeks until May 2nd, I’m skipping ahead to week three.  Having a training plan helps me stay focused and on track with my runs – skipping is not an option!  I am planning to also incorporate weight lifting and weekly yoga into my training, so I will be a busy girl this spring!

After I got back from my run, I grabbed my new Cooking Light and walked on the treadmill for about 20 minutes, thinking of ideas for dinner.  Casey had his night class tonight and I wanted to have something ready for him when he got home.  I ended up being inspired by two recipes found here and here, and tweaked them to fit my own pantry and tastes.  First up…

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Barley Pilaf with Red Peppers and Spinach:

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups diced onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1.75 cups pearled barley
• 1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

To Prepare: 

Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy pan to medium high heat and add a small amount of olive oil.  When hot, sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, barley, and thyme, and sauté for 1 minute, stirring.  Add vegetable stock and bring to a simmer – cover and cook 45 minutes.  Meanwhile, sauté the red bell pepper for 5 minutes or until soft.  Add raw spinach and cook 2-3 minutes, or until wilted.  When barley has absorbed all liquid, stir in peppers, spinach, and vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

And for our second dish…

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Kale, Carrot, and Kidney Bean Salad:

Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch kale, washed and ripped off stalks
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 15 oz. can kidney beans
• 2 tbsp dried cherries
• 1 tbsp slivered almonds

To Prepare: 

Place steamer basket over pot of boiling water and add kale and carrots – steam for ten minutes or until soft.  In a large sauté pan, add garlic and kidney beans and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add dried cherries and almonds and cook an additional minute.  Add steamed kale and carrots, and stir to combine.  Serve hot!

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Both of these were delicious, and it was fun to substitute my own ingredients and make changes that ended up tasting great.  As I learn more at school, I am trying to be more conscious of building more nutritionally balanced plates.  As a vegetarian, it is especially important to get good combinations of items that make up complete proteins – whole grains, beans, and nuts & seeds.  Check, check, check!

I am off to cuddle with Casey and watch The Biggest Loser.  I start my new class tomorrow – Intro to Baking & Pastry!!  Sounds dangerous, but I’m actually really excited.  I’m not a huge dessert person anyways, and I’m really looking forward to learning all about making breads, rolls, dough, and more.  Plenty of pictures to come tomorrow!