Barley Casserole

Hello, last Sunday night I made a barley casserole, a recipe from Chloe's Kitchen by Chloe Coscarelli.  She was on Cupcake Wars on the Food Network and won in the episode she was in.  I never saw that episode and only watch the Food Network occasionally because it makes me hungry when I watch it too much. 

Anyway, here's the recipe, Barley Bliss Casserole (serves 8):

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
8 ounces baby bella or crimini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced (I used baby bella)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups pearled barley
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2.5 cups soy, almond, or rice milk (I used unsweetened vanilla flavored Almond Milk from Trader Joe's)
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions, green peppers, and mushrooms until soft and lightly browned.

Add garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper and let cook a few more minutes.

Transfer vegetables to a 9" x 13" pan.  Gently stir in tomatoes, beans, barley, nutritional yeast, non-dairy milk, and water.  The pan will be very full (and it was).

Cover pan with foil and carefully place in the oven.  Let cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and then remove the foil.

Let bake, uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for 20 to 30 minutes more (I kept it in for 30 minutes), or until barley is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed.  Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

It turned out great and heated up in the microwave well the next day.  If you prefer dairy milk instead I'm sure it'll taste just fine.