Barley Vegetable Soup

This soup can be enjoyed year round but is even more perfect for those cold winter months when you crave something hearty, comforting, and warming.  The star of this soup is the barley and mushrooms; they couple together nicely and complement the other ingredients in this soup.  This recipe was based off of Anna’s Barley Vegetable Soup. We adapted the recipe slightly.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 bag of baby spinach

4 cups vegetable broth

~1 cup water

~6 button mushrooms

unmeasured amounts of rosemary, thyme, & salt

1/2 cup barley, uncooked

grated parmesan cheese to garnish

Directions:

In tbsp. of olive oil, cook onion and garlic for about five minutes, until soft. Add celery, carrots, & mushrooms. Add thyme, salt, pepper and rosemary. Cook about 5-10 minutes. Add barley and stir until it is incorporated in the mixture. Cook for a few more minutes, and add vegetable broth. Bring soup to a boil, and then reduce heat to a low simmer. During this time I added the bagged baby spinach to the pot along with about a cup of water (the water is optional depending upon the consistency you are looking for). Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until barley is fully cooked. Top with parmesan cheese.