As I write this I am enjoying a bowl of mushroom-barley soup. It’s the third batch I have made since I found the recipe in this month’s issue of All You magazine. All You is a women’s magazine that I subscribe to because my grandson was selling subscriptions for school and it seemed the least offensive of those offered. Its tag line is “Enjoy Life for Less”.

To me, soup really does help us enjoy life for less. When I look at a bag of beans or lentils or potatoes I often think what magical foods these are, how they can be the soul of a rich, delicious soup for very little money. A friend tells me she loves soup but just “doesn’t think of it” so does not make it often.  I say let’s all think of soup more often, and here’s one way to start:

Mushroom-Barley Soup (slightly modified from All You magazine version – to reduce fat and use veg broth)

prep: 10 minutes
cook: 45 minutes
serves: 4
cost per serving: $1.55

1/4 c water
1 onion, finely choped
2 carrots, cut into 1/4″thick rounds
10 oz. white or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 c pearl barley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 c low-sodium vegetable broth
3 c water
salt and pepper

Warm water in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about eight minutes. Add mushrooms and saute until they release their liquid, about five minutes.

Add barley, oregano, and thyme and stir one minute.

Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Sections: Vegan Food
Topics: Food, recipe, soup, Vegan