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Soup Barley.

September 2, 2011 by Carolina

Confession: I’m kinda dorky, truly, I am. Don’t believe me? Okay, let me tell you what I’m doing right now. I’m listening to Bob Marley while typing up this awesome recipe I’m about to share with you guys for Barley Soup. I’m thinking to myself Barley Soup is no where near as fun as Soup Barley cause it sounds like Bob Marley…so you guys are getting Soup Barley as the title of this post. It’s the little things guys, am I right? Dorks unite!

Anyways, back to the topic at hand — Have you ever had Barley before? I confess I had not prior to making this soup. I’ve been trying out new grains in hopes of mixing things up in the kitchen & finally gave barley a go…it’s delicious! It’s an awesome grain, hearty, super filling. I took a look at the soup recipe on the box & decided I wanted to try it, with my own modifications. Here’s what I came up with.

Ingredients (Makes 7 Cups)

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Cups Portabello Mushrooms, sliced

2 Cups Baby Spinach, roughly chopped

1 Cup Red Onion, chopped

1 Cup Orange Bell Pepper, chopped

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1/2 Cup Barley

6 Cups Vegetable Stock

1 Dried Bay Leave

1 Teaspoon Cumin

1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

Pinch of Garam Masala

In a pot, heat olive oil, garlic, onion, pepper & mushrooms; cool for 5 minutes until peppers are slightly tender. Add the barley, vegetable stock, spinach, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper & a pinch of garam masala (you can really taste it in the background, it’ll make you go hmmm); bring to a boil. Cover the pot & cook at low heat for 25 – 30 minutes until barley is tender. Serve & enjoy!

Easy right? This soup will make your house smell great as its ready. Enjoy all on its own, or with a loaf of bread, maybe even some cheese on top. Delicious. Buen provecho!