Vegetable Barley Soup

No matter the season, a warming and nourishing bowl of vegetable soup is most certainly high on the list of comfort foods. Here at Lisa's Kitchen, I have featured a variety of recipes for easy-to-prepare vegetable soups over the years, and my latest offering highlights the goodness of soft and nutty pearl barley along with a hearty selection of different vegetables and some cremini mushrooms too. Spiced up with tantalizing Indian flavours for a delightful broth, and topped with a dollop of cilantro chutney, pair this soup with a favored vegetarian legume entrée for a complete and satisfying meal, or just enjoy as a light lunch on its own.

Skillet Mushroom Parmesan

A relatively quick and yet filling supper, or substantial brunch, mushroom fans in particular will be enticed by this easy skillet preparation. Pure comfort food, the earthy goodness of portobello mushrooms is complete with a healthy dose of sharp Parmesan cheese, the melty goodness of Provolone cheese, tomato sauce, and some fresh aromatic basil. I used my trusted cast iron skillet because there is both a stovetop component and some oven-baked time to complete the dish.