Baked Barley and Beans

Alright I am playing catch up from my lack of posting this week. I made Barley baked on Wednesday evening I think. The twice baked potatoes were Tuesday, Barley bake Wednesday and pasta Thursday.... nope, move everything back by one day. That means barley bake was made on Tuesday. Regardless, I am trying to catch up on this weeks menu.

Barley bake is a tastey way to get hearty grains into the menu. It is not an exciting looking or sounding dish, but it is yummy. As always, I modified the recipe by adding some shredded cheddar, I just can't help myself!

1 cup pearled barley, uncooked (found in the bulk section of the grocery)

olive oil

2 1/2 cups veggie broth

1 pkg mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup cheddar cheese (optional)

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 TBS sunflower kernels

1. Spread barley on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. I found it helpful to shake the pan back and forth about half way through the baking to evening brown the barley.

2. Combine barley and broth in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. The barley should be tender.

3. While the barley cooks, saute the onions and mushrooms for about 5 minutes, then add the green bell pepper. Cook until just tender.

4. Stir in barley, beans, salt and pepper, and cheese if you want to. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Cover and cook at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with sunflower kernels and bake another 5 minutes.