I’ve got an easy recipe today that yields a healthy, hearty stew/soup–
Rustic Mushroom Barley Soup.
Doing inventory of grains currently living in my kitchen cabinet, I came across a bag of Bob’s Red Mill Hull-less Barley and was eager to use it up…barley seems like such a Winter grain to me, perfect for soup and ingredients I had on hand. Hull-less Barley is the whole grain, including the bran layer (which is typically removed in the processing of pearled barley). It has a chewy texture and is a great source of protein and fiber.
Source: Bob's Red Mill
Rustic Mushroom Barley Soup
Prep & Cooking time: 2 hours
Serves: Lots…you’ll get at least a few lunches and/or dinners out of this recipe
The ingredients list is short but the cooking time is a bit long…once the soup is cooking, it’s a good time to take an hour and read a book, do a yoga DVD, or catch up on your favorite blogs!
Prepped veggies
Ingredients
*5-6 stalks of celery, chopped
*1 lb carrots, peeled & chopped
*2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
*1 small onion, sliced
* 1 clove garlic
*1 Tblsp apple cider vinegar
*Seasoning of your choice to taste (I used a sample packet of Bragg 24 Herbs & Spices Seasoning and some Italian seasoning)
*Garlic salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
*32 oz. of vegetable broth/stock + water as needed
*1 and 1/4 cup barley
* 1 can of cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
Mid-process
Process
1. Chop all of your veggies.
2. Spray a soup pot with non-stick spray (or use olive oil – I went the spray route to avoid added fat)
3. Saute the garlic, carrots, onion, and celery until tender.
4. Add the seasoning, salt and pepper, mushrooms, and apple cider vinegar and cook for a few minutes.
5. Add the broth and barley and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the barley is done to the desired tenderness. Add water or additional broth as needed…the barley soaks up the liquid as it cooks.
7. Add the beans and allow to heat through.
8. Enjoy!
Soup's On!
A few options – you could add white wine during cooking for an extra zing, and to save time, cook the barley ahead of time. That will reduce the overall cooking time and you’ll just have to saute the veggies, add the broth, barley, beans and heat through (this would reduce the need for added liquid during cooking).
This soup got the thumb’s up from my Quality Assurance Guy – I was relieved because otherwise I’d be eating this pot of soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all week! Please let me know if you try the recipe!
Question: What is in your kitchen cabinet right now that you’re trying to use up?
Apples and Arteries 