Mushroom Barley Soup (Creamy and Nutritious)

Ingredients

• 1 cup pearled barley
• 11 oz / 300g cremini mushrooms
• 1 medium white onion
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 medium celery sticks
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 cups vegetable broth - I've used low sodium
• 1 can (15oz / 400g) cannellini beans
• 1 cup milk of choice - I've used soy milk
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   *Optional, soak the barley in a bowl of water for a few hours or even overnight to reduce the cooking time. If using quick cooking barley, skip this step

2. 2

   Finely dice the onion, celery sticks and garlic. Then grate the carrots using a box grater

3. 3

   Clean the mushrooms with damp paper towels, don't wash them underwater. Then dice half the mushrooms into small cubes and slice the remaining half into slices

4. 4

   In a large soup pot add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the sliced mushrooms over medium - high heat. Once they've browned, season with salt and black pepper and transfer them to a plate and leave on the side for now

5. 5

   In the same pot add a 2nd tablespoon of olive oil, the onions, celery and chopped mushrooms. Saute for 3-5 minutes over medium heat until the mushrooms have browned and the veggies have softened, then season with salt and pepper

6. 6

   In the meantime, add the cannellini beans to a blender and blend into a puree. I like to also add the juice from the can, but you can drain the beans if you prefer

7. 7

   Add the garlic, grated carrots and rinsed barley to the pot and saute together for 1 minute

8. 8

   Add 2 cups of vegetable broth along with 2 cups of water and the blended cannellini beans. Season with salt and pepper and stir together. Then place the lid on and simmer over low heat for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring it from time to time (cook time depends on the barley, so ensure to taste as you go)

9. 9

   Once the barley has cooked until tender and has a soft chewy bite, add the milk and the sliced mushrooms cooked earlier. Stir through until you have a nice creamy broth (if it's thickened up too much you can add additional water or broth to your preferred consistency)

10. 10

    To serve up your delicious Mushroom Barley Soup, add some chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy!