Vegetable Barley Soup

Don’t know what to do with all of those great veggies in the fridge?  Worried that they will go bad before you figure it out?  Try this simple way to use all of those great, healthy vegetables without any guilt about wasting money or calories!

©2013 Group G Enterprises, LLC

Here’s what you need:

1 32 oz. container of Vegetable Broth or your own homemade stock

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups chopped tomatoes

2 zucchini, chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 cup frozen or fresh corn

2 stalk celery with leaves, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 bunches broccoli or broccolini, chopped

1 cup pearl barley

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat olive oil and add carrots, celery, garlic and onion.  Season with a generous pinch of salt.  Let that cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add zucchini, broccoli and tomatoes and corn.  Saute for 2 minutes and add broth.  Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for one hour.

Rinse one cup barley in water.  In a separate pan, add barley to 4 cups boiling water.  Let cook until done, approximately 30 to 45 minutes.  Drain and add to vegetable soup.  As the barley cooks and expand (it can expand up to four times), it may absorb a lot of the liquid, so you may need to add additional broth as you go.  Continue to season to taste with salt and pepper.  I usually add a little hot red pepper for a bit more kick.

This can also be made with any other vegetables you prefer.  Leafy greens like kale, chard, spinach or other veggies like potatoes are also great additions.  Get creative.  This is a dish where you can’t lose on vitamins, antioxidants and other important nutrients without worrying about a lot of calories and added fats.  Go veggie!

© 2013 Group G Enterprises, LLC