Vegetarian Dinner

Baked Barley

Pear Grapefruit Slaw

Roasted Delicata Squash Rounds


Continuing along the theme of meals made with lots of vegetables, low-overall fat/ no saturated fat, whole grains, lean protein.

Baked Barley :
8 oz barley
1 -2 T oil
1 small can diced tomatoes (I used no salt organic)
1 carrot, peeled & chopped (I detest the taste of carrot peels!)
chopped garden celery or parsley
thyme
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 tsp Better Than Bouillon mushroom flavor stirred into:
1/2 canful (from the tomatoes) hot water

Roast the sunflower seeds in a 9 x 13" pan or skillet in a 350° oven for 10 -15 minutes.
Put the oil in a casserole dish, stir in the barley, then add the other ingredients.
Cover with lid or foil and bake at 350° for one hour.

Pear Grapefruit Slaw :
matchstick julienned pear, carrots, & winesap apple
grapefruit slices, supremed*
minced garden herbs: lots of spearmint, little bit celery, parsley, chervil, cress
dressing: lemon juice & honey (another nice dressing is equal parts each mayonnaise & orange juice)
on bed of garden lettuces (green leaf, mache, romaine)
garnish small marigold petals (cut off with kitchen scissors)
*http://freshcatering.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-to-supreme-segment-orange.html

Roasted Delicata Squash Rounds
slice the squash into rounds, leaving in the seeds
put 1 -2 T oil in a 9 x 13 dish
place the squash rounds in the pan, then turn them over so they are oiled on both sides.
sprinkle with a teeny little bit of garam masala and turmeric
Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes

Lemon Sponge Pudding with Lemon Sauce

Lemon Custard Sponge Pudding
This is between a cake and a pudding. A sponge cake layer rises and forms on the top, with a creamy lemon custard below. The sauce adds another very tart and lemony note.
Serve the Lemon Custard Sponge Pudding in bowls with the Lemon Sauce spooned over. I like it served warm, with warm sauce ladled on top, or it's also lovely chilled on a hot summer day.

2 T butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated
zest and juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup juice and 2 tsp zest)
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 T flour

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry, then set aside. In a separate bowl, beat the yolks with the soft butter until lemon colored, then add the sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Add the milk, lemon juice, and flour alternately. Fold in the egg whites. Butter or spray a small casserole dish and pour in the mixture. Put that in another ovenproof dish (I used a square glass dish), and pour hot water into the surrounding dish. Bake at 350° for one hour.

Lemon Sauce
Juice of 2 lemons (or 1 lemon and one lime)
2 tsp lemon zest
4 tsp cornstarch dissolved into 1 cup cool water
1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar (I like it pretty tart)
1 T. butter
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until it starts to boil. Turn the heat down and stir and cook for three - four minutes.