Click here and here for previous installments of Spring Cleaning & Spring Eating.

This is the final installment of recipes for now and I really hope you had the chance to try one, if not all, of these dishes. In the kitchen I am like a fish out of water but through this entire process, from stocking my pantry to creating daily shopping lists that go along with what is in the pantry, I actually learned (and I hope you did too) that I can be creative in the kitchen and cooking can actually be fun!

This last dish is vegetarian (there is a little bit of parmesan cheese but that can be eliminated if you like) and believe me when I say this: it is delicious! Who would have thought barley could taste so good? If you are not a vegetarian I suggest this dish as a side dish for your favourite protein (last night we served it with moose that was grilled on the barbeque); if you are a vegetarian then this meal speaks for itself.

Here is what you need from the grocery store:

Vegetarian mushroom barley with sautéed kale

1 yellow onion
½ a bag of shitake mushrooms (or whatever is in season)
1 clove of garlic (you should have some left over from our other meals)
1 bunch of kale
Fresh parmesan cheese

Here is what you will use from your panty:

Dried mushrooms (for the mushroom stock which you should make in advance if you have time)
Barley

You may also use a little white wine for this dish to add flavour so whatever white wine you enjoy while you are cooking add a little to the pot.

The step by step recipe and photos are found here.  This meal will probably take you about 40 minutes to prepare but it is actually very easy to cook and it will impress anyone you are cooking it for.

Enjoy!