SO Best Barley Soup

Best Barley Soup

Ingredients

5  Slices turkey bacon

½  Pound sliced mushrooms

1  Teaspoon minced garlic

1  Red onion, chopped

½  Teaspoon dried thyme leaves

8  Cups fat-free chicken broth

1  Bay leaf

2  Cups chopped carrots

2  Cups chopped Louisiana yams (sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into Small cubes

¾  Cup medium pearl barley

Instructions:

1. In large nonstick pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels, crumble, set aside.

2. In same pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté mushrooms, garlic, and onion until tender about 7 minutes.

3. Add thyme, broth, bay leaf, carrots, sweet potatoes and barley. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook 25 minutes or until barley and vegetables are tender. Season to taste, remove bay leaf. if too thick, add more broth. To serve, sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Variations: For vegetarian option, omit bacon and use vegetable broth.

Recipes from:  Holly Clegg
The Healthy Cooking Blog

 

Serving Size: Makes 11 (1-cup) servings

Cook Time: 1 hour