Mushroom Barley Soup

I found this recipe years ago on Food Fit. I changed it and prefer my way. This is my all time favorite soup. It's fast to make, increadibly filling and low cal!

Heather’s Way

It’s faster and tastes the same! Let’s not make it harder than it is. Sometimes I add more veggies (like they really count for calories, and even if they did they’re VEGETABLES!!) Sometimes I add more broth, or less. I vary the amount of barley too depending on the day. I use what I have. The flavor never really changes. Sometimes I even throw in left over roast meat. That’s yummy too. Using the quick barley makes this ready in about 20 min. I prefer the beef broth because it is easier to find, and I like the beef flavor. At the end I sprinkle on fresh grated Parmesan Cheese (Grate it Fresh from Kraft) and eat it with really crusty grain bread or croutons. This freeze’s very nicely. My nutri info is a tad less (other than sodium) then stated below becaues I omit the oil (since the veggies are frozen) and I use far less mushrooms.

Ingredients:

1c “Recipe Starters” Frozen Chopped Onions, Celery & Carrot mix (Kroger)

Salt & Pepper (this is to your taste)
1 bay leaf and liberal sprinkle of Thyme & Parsley

1/2 cup quick cooking barley (it’s in a box, Quaker and by the rice)
A giant can (32oz) of beef broth (or two, if you want it soupier or for a snack)
1 or 2 containers of sliced fresh mushrooms (2 containers is a LOT of mushrooms)

Put the veggies, spices and broth in a pot, boil. Add Barley and boil per directions (like 15 minutes or something). In the last few minutes put in the mushroom slices. I break mine into smaller pieces for ease when eating.



The "Real Way"

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped carrots
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup pearl barley
6 cups low-sodium mushroom broth or vegetable broth
2 pounds mushrooms, sliced (I thought this was WAY too much!)
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and onion, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes. 2. Add the bay leaf, thyme, barley and stock and bring to a boil quickly over high heat. 3. Lower the heat and simmer until the barley is completely tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. 4. Add the mushrooms and simmer until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. 5. Remove the bay leaf and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with parsley.

Serving Size: about 1 1/2 cups
Number of Servings: 6

Nutrition Info Per Serving :
Calories 122
Carbohydrate 23 g
Fiber 5 g
Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Protein 4 g
Sodium 367 mg

Prep Time:1 hour