Mushroom Barley Soup

Look at that! Food! With nutritional value!

I'm turning over a new leaf (this leaf happens to turn often, just not this way) and I'm cooking and I'm cooking healthy. (My mom is probably picking herself up off the floor right now).

There has been a healthy handful of you that have mentioned there are no nutritious recipes ::gasp:: Although I can't guarantee you that this will be a regular occurrence I can tell you that I will try my best to post something tasty and nutritious every once and a while!

So here we go, Mushroom Barley Soup.

Barley is a nutritional powerhouse! (Yes! Just what you've all been asking for!) Barley is described as a wise choice for heart-smart dining as it contains soluble fiber content, along with its naturally low-fat content and zero cholesterol.

This soup was really easy to make, has a super low calorie count, tasted delicious and was great for both packed lunches and dinners. Enjoy!


Mushroom Barley Soup
Adapted from: Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients

1 cup barley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2  carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 package of white button mushrooms, sliced (I used 20-25)
3 cans low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

In a medium pan, bring 4 cups of water and the 1 cup of barley to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until soft. Add the carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they are soft.  Add the vegetable broth, water, bay leaves, and fresh thyme. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked barley and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves before serving. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.