Would like help meal planning

[chubbs]

I get allot of food.But I am not good adding stuff in meals.Mine are pretty simple.I have thought of getting bouillon cubes or this stuff called better then bouillon,not sure if I can get it though.I want to make soups & other meals.I got:
Black beans & lg lima beans-dry
Lentils-dry.brownish green color?
Canned blackeye peas

Pearl barley,not the quick kind
Brown MG & LG rice
Brown jasmine rice
black forbidden rice,not the sticky kind
Wild cultivated rice
Kusha rice royal basmati
Lundberg mixed rice
Quinoa traditional

wheat germ & finely ground flaxseed
Kale,baby spinach,celery,watercress,water chestnuts,white mushrooms,long carrots,vidalia sweet onions,,garlic,shallots,roma tomatoes,serrano peppers & russet potatoes.
Lemon,key limes,coconut,straw/black/blue berries,& red raspberries

Spices:Sea salt & black peppercorn.Garlic powder,seasoned salt.Gr cinnamon,paprika,cayenne(mcormick gourmet),cumin,thyme,& turmeric.
Sauces:Kikkoman regular teriyaki & soy,lee kum kee premium soy
Oils:EVOO,sunflower,corn,crisco natural(canola & vegetable),& best life butter.
Meat:tilapia & swai fillets,tyson & harvestland chicken breasts.

I never used dry beans before.Almost every bag I looked at had 2/3 cracked or split beans,ist that bad?
Not going to ask for a backrub next lol.I'd just like some ideas with what would go well together.I usually cook fish & chicken how it is in a skillet.& add salt,pepper & cayenne with mushrooms sometimes.Rice,I cook it in water.& load it with soy sauce.

 

[CWS4322]

This is one of my favorite soups to make:

Recipe Details

Don't worry if you don't have sausage, it is good without. If you don't have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika.

You can make a spinach and strawberry salad (here's a link to one--but there are many on the Internet):

Spinach and Strawberry Salad Recipe - Allrecipes.com

A barley risotto (here's one of my favorites):

Chef Michael Smith | Recipe | Barley Risotto with Bacon

A lemon chicken breast dish would be nice.

Lemon Chicken Breasts Recipe : Ina Garten : Recipes : Food Network

I think several DCers have posted a lemon chicken recipe.

Watercress, water chestnuts, tomato salad...

You have the makings for a great stir fry: chicken, kale, celery, water chestnuts, carrots, shallots, and a wee bit of serrano pepperr.

You could also do a coconut-lime/lemon fish or chicken dish.

 

[blissful]

I never used dry beans before.Almost every bag I looked at had 2/3 cracked or split beans,ist that bad?

I don't know if they are 'bad', they just won't be as pretty.
Take a bag in a big pot of water and soak overnight or at least a few hours, drain out the water.
Add fresh water, cook for 1 hour, let cool, drain out the water.
Add fresh water, cook until tender, drain.

If they hold their shape you can use them in any bean dish/casserole, cold bean salad, or soup or stew, or on their own with some butter and seasonings you like.

If they are falling apart at any point, you can mash them, like refried beans, season, add fat if you like (though I don't) and use them in tacos, meat extenders (for ground meats), burritos-yum, as a side with another side of flavored rice (with tiny chopped celery, peppers, onions, etc).

I hope you find a way to use them.

 

[CraigC]

If you're really into soups, learn to make a good basic stock. I see you buy chicken, ever buy whole ones and break them down yourself? I just got some whole ones on sale for .79 per lb. I'll take the backs, necks and wing tips, roast them off with quartered onions (skin on), carrots, celery and whole, skin on garlic cloves. Add the chicken and vege to a stock pot and cover with water. Do not add the rendered fat. Some black pepper corns, bay leaves and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook until reduced by 1/3 or 1/2. Strain through a chinois or other type of thin mesh strainer, pressing to get all liquid out. Discard the solids. You can let it stand for a while and skim the fat or put it in the fridge overnight and the fat will solidify on top and removed easily.

You can use as the base for soup, or in recipes that call for chicken stock. It can be reduced futher to really concentrate the flavor. You can also do this with beef bones that still have a little meat on them.

 

[chubbs]

I soaked black & lima beans,wild rice,& pearled barley overnight.
2C Black beans
2C Large lima beans
1C barley
1C wild rice
Here is what else I want to add,but don't know how much I should use.Largest pot I got is a 8Qt.
1lb broccoli
1lb baby spinach
16 lacinato kale leafs
bushel of celery
1lb mushrooms
1 large onion
5 serrano peppers
fresh garlic
2.25lb extra lean Chicken breast
I have knorr chicken powder for the stock.I'm guessing start the stock first.Should I start with 1/3 full?Then add more water & stock if needed?

 

[chubbs]

Forgot to add lentils too

 

[CWS4322]

I would add the water needed to cook the legumes and rice, saute the garlic, onion, celery and pepper (to taste--5 might make it too hot), so a version of "the trinity" with its little buddy garlic. Once those are soft, I'd add the trinity to the legumes mixture. Simmer until almost done, and then add the broc, spinach, and kale. I'd cook the chicken separately, chop it up and add it about 5 minutes before the rice, etc., are done. I would probably not use stock--there should be enough flavor in the vegetable stock and the trinity.