Vegetable Barley Soup with Quinoa



Vegetable Barley Soup with Quinoa
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Soup is one of my most favorite things in the Winter. I'm always looking for recipes that are filling, can be made into freezer meals, and that incorporate ingredients that I have on-hand. I was having a hard time finding a great vegetable barley soup recipe, so this is my creation. I hope you like it. It's pretty basic and if there are more veggies that you like, feel free to throw them in. This soup is great because you can use whatever you have on-hand.

I used beef broth for this recipe, but if you are vegetarian just substitute vegetable broth . This soup is very filling and flavorful. It's also thick like a stew, so if you want it more brothy, then cook your barley and quinoa completey and then throw it in at the end. If you are gluten intolerant then omit the barley and just double the quinoa. I love quinoa and I throw it in almost every soup I make. We don't eat a lot of meat, so we pair it with beans and vegetables and it's wonderful.

You can double this recipe and it freezes well so you make can extras for when you need a quick meal. I love having a stock of freezer soups because all you have to do is throw your plastic bag in some boiling water and within a few minutes you have a hot, delicious homemade meal. I'm tellin' ya, it's a time saver when you need a quick supper. And it's so much more healthful than eating out.

Here's what you need:

-3/4 C barley (I used hulled barley, but you can also use pearl barley)
-3/4 C quinoa
-3.5 C water, separated
-1 TBS coconut oil (or olive oil)
-1 large onion, chopped
-2 stalks celery, chopped
-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
-3 large carrots, sliced in circles
-4 C beef broth
-2 quarts of canned crushed tomatoes
-(1) 14.5 oz can corn (or about 1 C frozen)
-(1) 14.5 oz can sliced green beans (or about 1 C frozen)
-1/2 C frozen peas
-(1) 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
-1 TBS dried basil
-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
-1 tsp. dried dill weed
-1/2 tsp. black pepper
-1/4 tsp. curry powder
-1/4 tsp. paprika
-3 bay leaves

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine barley and 2 C water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until tender and chewy.

2. In another medium sauce pan, combine quinoa and 1.5 C water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, cover and remove from heat.

3. While barley and quinoa are cooking, get a large soup pot and heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add celery and saute 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add carrots, corn, peas, green beans, chickpeas, and all seasonings. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30-40 minutes. After about 15 minutes add barley to simmering soup. Add quinoa about 10 minutes before soup is done. If you prefer a more broth-like soup, add quinoa right before serving.

4. Remove bay leaves and garnish with some extra dill weed and fresh parsley.

Hearty and Delicious
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Here's the printable recipe.


Enjoy and Happy Cooking!