**Originally published Jun 2017, edited and updated Feb 2021.
Poblano What?! A burger with Pav Bhaji?! Yep you heard it right. A Pav Bhaji Burger….. with Poblano Peppers. Pav Bhaji is a very popular dish in India and among Indians everywhere in the world. Back in the 1800’s, workers would take leftover veggies and turn it into a curry. These workers usually could not afford much so they became creative. I piggy backed on that creativity and put my own spin to a classic Indian dish. Continue reading “Poblano Pav Bhaji Burger Yum “→
Root vegetables are so versatile in any recipe you use. They can be roasted, baked, sautéed, mashed or even eaten raw! They have an earthy taste when raw that turns sweet when you cook them. Continue reading “Root Vegetable Salad Yum “→
A few years back, when I was sick, my husband brought home a veggie barley soup by Wolfgang Puck. I fell in love instantly and now, it’s the first one I want when I’m feeling a little under the weather or even in the mood for some comfort soup. There’s a heartiness about it without the fuss of heaviness to it. As much as I love Chef Puck’s soup, I wanted to create my version at home.
For a couple of winters, I tried several variations but was never satisfied with it because none of them measured up to Chef Puck’s soup. Well, how can anything really? Anyways, I kept at it and I think I’ve found a great version that works for me. I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I do.
I found all of the produce at the farmer’s market, making it more sustainable, organic, and healthy (c’mon, we all know there’s more sodium in a can of anything….no matter how delicious it tastes!).
I just love having fresh veggies, and for me, the more the better! Added benefit, when my daughter was cooking this with me, she said, “Mamma, we’re eating the rainbow!” Made me so proud as I’m trying to teach her to eat her colors to get a variety of nutrients. Score 1 for Mom!
If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll figure out that I’m a barley addict! But really, what’s not to love? It’s high in protein, high in fiber and has so much nutrition!
So… what are you waiting for?! Try out this delicious goodness and enjoy some comfort with rainbows and barley like me.
Ingredients:
½ c pearl barley
½ c green lentils
½ med onion, diced
1 med carrot, diced
3 ribs of celery, diced
½ zucchini, diced
½ yellow squash, diced
1 potato, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 bay leaf
1/3 c tomato sauce
4 c low sodium veggie broth
1 c water
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
pepper to taste
cilantro to garnish
Directions:
In a deep pot, heat olive oil and sauté onions until they are browned. Add in garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to let the aroma bloom. Add in all the veggies and sauté for a few minutes until the veggies are tender. Mix in the spices and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes. Add in the tomato sauce and mix well. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the barley, lentils, veggie broth, water, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook covered for 30 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
Serve with a slice of garlic bread and enjoy!
Updated Jan 4, 2020 from the original post published Sept, 2015.
Chicken pot pie is a family favorite in this household. My kids have been asking for this almost biweekly for the past couple of months. It makes me so happy that they would love eating my pot pie (though I secretly think it’s mostly because the name has “pie” in it). I have included in the recipe notes to make this recipe vegetarian and vegan so try it out and let me know what you think!
A hack that I have been known to use on occasion is buying rotisserie chicken, shredding it up and using that instead of baking my own. This simply cuts down on the time involved to make the pot pie. If you choose to go this route, remember to buy an herb roasted or seasoned chicken so that there is added flavor. You can also make these in individual ramekins to personalize them by adding chicken to those who want it and keeping it vegetarian for those who prefer not.
Making chicken pot pie on a busy weeknight may not be ideal but it you can totally make and assemble the pie over the weekend and simply bake it during any weeknight. Storage is easy as it can last in the fridge up to 5 days. So what are you waiting for? Make this your next meal and feel the comfort of home!
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy this delicious Chicken Pot Pie!
Preheat Oven to 400°F. Season boneless, skinless chicken with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper on both sides. Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
When it's done cooking, remove from oven and let it rest for a couple of minutes then shred it with a fork.
For the Veggie filling:
Preheat the oven to 400°F
In a nonstick pot, heat the oil. Then add in the onions, garlic, peas, carrots, and celery.
Mix well and saute for about 3-5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
Add in the flour and mix well. Let it cook for about 5 minutes so the flour is not raw.
Add in the veggie broth, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, turmeric, thyme and hot sauce.
Lower the heat just a little bit and cook until the mixture thickens.
When the mixture is thickened, remove from heat and add in shredded chicken. Mix well.
To Assemble:
Layer the bottom crust into pie pan and pat down firmly.
Spoon in the filling with a little mound in the middle.
Cover with top pie crust and seal the edges.
Using a pastry brush, paint the with the milk over the top and seams.
Make several small slits at the top to allow steam to release.
Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
Cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
To make it Vegetarian: Omit the chicken and continue with the rest of the recipe as follows.
To make it Vegan: Omit the chicken, use vegan pie crust, and replace milk wash with either water or simply omit.
