Colorful, Simple Dinner

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This simple dinner is golden, brown, beige, ivory and green. It is delicious because it includes sweet, salty,savory, crunchy, soft and chewy foods. The variation of flavors and colors is what makes it so pleasing.

Ease: super quick Type: entree Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour Yield: serves 4

Cook's notes

This is a great way to use up left over winter squash from pumpkin pie or soup.

There are many flavors of organic baked tofu available in the refrigerated section of all health food stores.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c hulled or pearled barley
4 1/2 c water

1 1/2 lb. Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and cut into 1 " - 1 1/2" pieces
1 1/2 T safflower or canola oil
1 1/2 c water
1 bouillon cube
2 t thyme
10 oz. frozen peas, thawed

4 c baked and peeled kabocha or blue hubbard squash
1 c chopped pecans

16 oz. baked tofu

Steps

• To bake Kabocha squash, rinse and pierce with a knife in several places and place on baking sheet in preheated, 375° F oven. (no convection.) Kabocha is done in about 40 minutes when it is very soft. You can very successfully use the auto oven for baking.
• Place barley and 4 1/2 c water in sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the water is absorbed and barley is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Place Jerusalem artichokes in baking pan. Toss with oil and mix with 1 1/2c water and dissolve bouillon cube. Bake at 350° F for about 30 - 40 minutes until Jerusalem artichokes start to get tender. Remove from oven before they become mushy. Stir in thyme and peas.
• Heat winter squash in microwave and sprinkle top with pecan pieces.
• Cut tofu into cubes and heat in the microwave.
• Serve all four dishes at once while hot.

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