“Barley has been cultivated since the Stone Age and has been fermented to make beer since not long after that. Like other cereal grains — wheat, millet, oats, corn and rye — barley is a great source of fiber and carbohydrates, and can also be used to make cereal, bread and soup. Folk medicine uses barley in barley water, made by simply soaking barley in water, which is reputed to be a great tonic during convalescence. “Pearl” barley is the name of the grain when it’s been polished, after the husk and bran have been removed. It’s the form most commonly used in soups. Grains like barley keep well. Their bulk and comparative cheapness make them a useful staple,
especially at this soup-worthy time of the year, so be sure to keep some in your cupboard."

“As it can be difficult to coax your loved ones into eating five helpings a day of vegetables (as nutritionists recommend), this recipe cleverly incorporates broccoli into a baked potato, without using a lot of fat. Broccoli is an excellent source of fiber and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Potatoes are a universally loved vegetable loaded with vitamins C and B-6, potassium, and fiber. You can make the stuffed potatoes ahead and reheat them when everyone is ready to eat.”

This is from the Joy of Cooking article from the NYTimes magazine.

“This garlicky salad is a nice way to eat spinach and a great way to get a nutritional boost. Use the best extra-virgin olive oil you can afford. Serve it with lentil soup for a simple, delicious supper.”

“This simple fish dish is quite elegant with its subtle flavor of rosemary. Don’t worry about a few shreds of potato that remain in the skillet. Serve them over the fish. Pair this entrée with steamed asparagus and a large green salad with tomatoes.”

“For more flavor, after roasting the turkey you can skim the drippings from the pan and add them to the gravy just before serving. It’s best to discard the strong-tasting liver before using the giblets. This recipe makes enough to accompany a large turkey and still have plenty for leftovers.”

“The beans and garlic butter can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.”

“No-Boil Sweet Potatoes

Boiling sweet potatoes in lots of liquid—as you would regular potatoes—is not a good idea. Sweet potatoes will soak up too much water, and the resulting mash will be a soggy mess. Better to cook them in a small amount of of liquid. Just 2 tablespoons of heavy cream (plus a little butter), along with the water released from the sweet potatoes as they cook, is enough to steam them into tenderness."

This recipe can be doubled and prepared in a Dutch oven, but the cooking time will need to be doubled as well.

“Plain steamed or microwaved cauliflower turns into something extraordinary when you cover it with this rich-tasting twist on a classic cheese sauce.

“Maybe you’ve never considered cooking broccoli this way, but roasting yields surprisingly good results. The heat concentrates the flavors and caramelizes the natural sugars. A touch of olive oil gives it a crispy, delicious finish”