Happy Valentine’s Day! I saw the picture above on the internet and thought it was cute so I decided to post it up on here. A little kid drew it…. and his/her artwork is much better than I could ever do. Let’s just say I am not very artistic…at all. haha Random thought…but remember in elementary school when you used to make mailboxes out of shoe boxes for Valentine’s day?! Those were the days…but anyway…Do you have any special plans for today/tonight? I don’t really get why so many people hate on Valentine’s day. Sure you can say you love someone everyday of the year but today why not just step it up a notch and show the people you really love how much you actually love them! You don’t need a boyfriend/husband/girlfriend/wife to celebrate! Don’t get me wrong…I am not all about the holiday at all but it’s nice to celebrate…in my opinion anyway…even if your are single…like me!!!! hahaha But I guess to each his/her own, right?
My friends and I are going out to dinner tonight to a place called Marie Louise Bistro in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore. They specialize in French, Italian, and Mediterranean cuisine...interesting mix…I guess we will see how it is! I am excited for dinner and to hang out with my friends though…it will be a fun night 
Anyway…enough with Valentine’s day!!!! Onto the topic of today’s post. I bought the Eat Well Cook Book (by Williams-Sonoma) in the summer and bookmarked several recipes I wanted to try. The other day I was feeling kind of under the weather and I was craving something warm, hearty, and healthy. The Savory Barley Soup with Wild Mushrooms & Thyme from the Eat Well cookbook immediately came to mind (plus I had been wanting to purchase Pearl Barley anyway- to make breakfast with…I am getting sick of regular old oatmeal!). This soup was super easy to make and came out great! I asked my roommate Kelly (who is usually super great about trying all my recipes and reading my blog…love ya, kelly! haha) to try the soup but she was a bit hesitant about having a meal “dominated my mushrooms”. But I guess I could see how some people might be a little turned off by the thought of mushroom soup but the flavor of this soup is awesome and the barley gives a nice “nutty” texture to it. Definitely a keeper.
Nutritional information:
- Barley is a great source of minerals (selenium) and fiber (which helps to regular cholesterol).
- Mushrooms are an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps lower elevated blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke. One medium portabella mushroom has even more potassium than a banana or a glass of orange juice.
- Mushrooms are a rich source of riboflavin, niacin, and selenium.Selenium is an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Male health professionals who consumed twice the recommended daily intake of selenium cut their risk of prostate cancer by 65 percent.
- Good for cardiovascular health
- Strengthens immunity: Mushrooms are capable of strengthening the immune system. In traditional Japanese and Chinese medicines, Shiitake mushrooms are used for curing flu and cold. Lentinan, a form of beta-glucan, present in Shiitake mushrooms strengthens the immune system. Mushrooms, especially Crimini mushrooms, are a rich source of zinc. Zinc is mostly needed to build the body’s immune system.
- Anti-aging property: Mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant necessary for healthy eyes, kidney, bone marrow, liver and skin. Mushrooms are also rich in riboflavin and selenium. These chemicals by strengthening the immune system, prevents the action of free radicals in the body, consequently reducing the aging process.
- ONLY item in the produce section with a natural source of vitamin D!
Ingredients:
- dried porcini mushrooms (1/2 oz)…the grocery store I went to did not have dried porcinis so I used dried Morels and Chanterelles
- 1/2 C dry white wine
- 1 T Olive Oil
- 1/2 C shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- fresh cremini mushrooms, 8 oz, chopped
- thyme, 1 tsp minced fresh (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- chicken broth (3 C)
- pearl barley (3/4 C)
- tomato paste (1 T)
- Lemon juice (2 tsp)
Directions: Rinse porcinis well to remove any dirt or grit. In a small saucepan, bring wine to a simmer. Remove from heat and add porcinis; let stand for 15 minutes. Drain porcinis over a bowl, reserving liquid, and finely chop. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are wilted, 3-5 minutes. Add creminis, thyme, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper; cook until creminis release their juices and begin to brown, 4-5 minutes. Add reserved wine and boil, scraping up any browned bits from pan bottom, for 1 minute. Add broth, barley, tomato paste, 3 c water, and chopping porcinis to pot. cover and simmer until barley is tender to bite, 45-50 minutes. In a blender or food processor, puree about 1 C soup until smooth. Return soup to pot, heat until just hot, and stir in lemon juice. Season soup to taste with additional salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan (if you want to, of course) and serve at once!
Question: Do you like mushrooms? What is your favorite dish to make using mushrooms?
I was never huge on mushrooms but now Mary and I absolutely LOVE mushrooms…our love for mushrooms grew once Mary’s boyfriend, Todd, started his job at a Mushroom company called ToJo Mushrooms (in PA). There are so many different varieties and so many things you can do with them. Once you give mushrooms a shot, I can assure you…you will love them! Here are some of our other mushroom dishes:
Pappardelle with Exotic Mushrooms and Mascarpone
Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme
Pappardelle with Mixed Mushrooms and Mozzarella
Jamie Oliver’s Pappardelle with Mixed Mushrooms and Mozzarella
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Try Jamie Olivers wild mushroom spaghetti.It is to die for,It’s my weekly supper in the summer when I can get the mushrooms from the farmers market.