Crockpot Beef and Barley Soup

This is adapted from Skinny Taste
Ingredients:

• 1 tsp oil
• 1-1/2 lbs lean beef stew meat
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 cups water
• 1 - 2 tsp kosher salt, to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2/3 cup dry barley
• fresh ground black pepper
• 4 beef boullion cubes
• 1/2 tsp Thyme

Put all these ingredients in a crockpot on low for 4 hours the on high for 3 more hours. It can cook longer if needed.

Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa and Avocado Lime Sauce

This is from Key Ingredient but the sauce is my creation

Ingredients

2	Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
½	Teaspoon of Paprika
¼	Teaspoon of Salt
¼	Teaspoon of Pepper
¼	Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
¼	Teaspoon of Onion Powder
¼	Teaspoon of Cumin
1	Teaspoon of Olive Oil
2	Cups of Low Sodium Chicken Stock
1	Cup of Quinoa
	Juice and Zest from One Lime
	A Dash of Salt and Pepper
2	Tablespoons of Cilantro, chopped

 * Avocado Sauce recipe follows

Combine all the dry seasonings in a small bowl. Mix them together and then season both sides of each chicken breast. Add the teaspoon of olive oil to a large pan or skillet. Heat the olive oil for a minute over medium/high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook flipping once- so each side gets browned- until no longer pink inside but still juicy.
 Add the chicken stock and quinoa to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium/low heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes with the lid on, until all the stock has been absorbed. After the chicken breasts have cooked all the way through, remove them from the pan and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing them. Toss in the lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper, and chopped cilantro into the quinoa. Serve the sliced chicken breast on top of the quinoa and drizzle with avocado sauce.
Avocado Sauce:
In blender blend 1/2 avocado, 3/4 c. plain greek yogurt, 1 Tbs honey, 1 Tbs fresh cilantro, 1 clove garlic, and juice of 1/2 lime.