I bet you didn’t see this coming…..it’s a soup recipe! Well, technically speaking, it is a stew recipe ;). There. Now I do not have to feel so bad about posting so many soup recipes because this is a stew recipe. As if it really needs justification during this time of year :)!
Vegetable, Lentil, and Barley Stew
Slightly adapted from this Oh She Glows recipe.
Servings: 5-6
Ingredients
water, for cooking
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 bunch of green onions, diced
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coriander
2-3 bay leaves (3, if small)
2 small zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into half-moons
4 cups vegetable broth
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 15 oz can quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained and cut in half
1/2 cup frozen edamame, shelled
1/2 cup pearled barley (not quick barley)
1/2 cup lentils
2 TB nutritional yeast, optional
1 1/2 TB fresh lemon juice
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (I used about 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
black pepper, to taste
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp dried sweet basil
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Directions
1. Line a large soup pot with a thin layer of water. Heat the water over medium-high heat until very hot. Once hot, add garlic, onions, and green onions to the soup pot. Lower the heat to medium and cook for approximately 7-8 minutes, or until the onions soften. Add more water, as needed
2. Add cinnamon, coriander, and bay leaves to the onion mixture. Stir until well-combined and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
3. Add zucchini, peppers, and carrots to the soup pot. Cook for approximately 7-8 minutes. You will need to add more water as the pot begins to dry out.
4. Stir vegetable broth, tomatoes with juices, artichokes, edamame, barley, and lentils into the mix. Add nutritional yeast (if using). Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil.
5. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low,cover, and simmer for at least 35-40 minutes.
6. Add lemon juice, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, parsley flakes, basil, and Italian seasoning. Stir until well-combined. Cover and simmer an additional 10-20 minutes, or until the barley and lentils are cooked through. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
The finished product will be a colorful, thick, and chunky stew.
Serve this delicious stew with your favorite crackers or a piece of fresh bread (I chose whole grain saltine crackers).
I was in love with this stew. I ate a bowl full and then went back for seconds. And on the bright side, it is so healthy that you do not have to feel one ounce of guilt for eating A LOT of this delicious creation.
Now go make this stew and you will be so glad that I posted the recipe! 😉
