Meal Plan and Bean and Barley Taco Soup

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Avocado salsa (recipe at bottom of post)

Here is our meal plan for the coming week. I tacked another Monday on the end just as a buffer. If you’re interested in how I do planning, look here. You can also download a simple meal planner for your own use. 

The recipe I’m sharing today is bean and barley taco soup and fresh salsa. I got the recipe from a friend and it’s a new favorite. See the end of this post for the recipe. 

This week, I’m hoping to try out some new no-meat recipes:
– Quinoa and kale mini quiches
– Tuna casserole with wheat pasta and broccoli
– Mini sandwich rolls (large batch for freezing)
– Soaked oatmeal (I’ve never tried soaking before)
– Fettucini with homemade, healthier sauce


Monday

• Breakfast: Breakfast muffins and yogurt
• Lunch: Turkey sandwiches (made ahead for after family picture session) with carrots and cucumber
• Dinner: Tuna casserole with wheat pasta and broccoli, strawberries and blueberries with whipped cream (date night for Dad and Mom!)
• Notes: Family pictures in AM, swim lessons in PM

• Breakfast: Quinoa and kale mini quiches, smoothies 
• Lunch: Baked potatoes with fixings, watermelon
• Dinner: Leftovers
• Notes: Make Mini sandwich rolls

Monday

• Breakfast: Cereal
• Lunch: Chicken salad sandwiches with fruit
• Dinner: Leftovers

Snacks for the Week

• Celery and carrot sticks
• Cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese and raisins
• Green smoothies
• Apple sandwiches with peanut butter and nuts
• Protein snack balls 

Bean and Barley Taco Soup

• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles
• 2/3 cup quick-cooking barley (or regular barley if you cook for an hour)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained (I used 2 cups pre-soaked beans I had frozen)
• 1 (14.5 oz) can no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained (I used  a small can of tomato paste instead)
• 1 (14.5 oz) can or 1 quart home canned vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 tbsp cilantro
• For serving: Sour cream, lime wedges, tortilla chips, and avocado salsa (recipe following)

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 3 minutes. Add chili powder and next 4 ingredients (chili powder through green chiles); cook 1 minute. 
2. Stir in barley and next 4 ingredients (barley through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until barley is tender. 
3. Stir in cilantro. Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, chips, and Avocado Salsa.

Avocado Salsa

• 1/2 cup avocado, diced
• 1/3 cup tomato, diced
• 2 tbsp onion, diced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper (optional)
• 1 tbsp cilantro
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (I used lemon)
• 1/8 tsp salt