Our first frost was a tad later than usual this year, but it has happened, telling me we are definitely in soup season. I love making soup because it warms the house and nourishes the body. The beneficial vitamins and minerals within the cooked ingredients seep into the liquid, keeping the valuable nutrients. Soup helps us stay healthy through the winter chill.
I learned recently that barley is a far more valuable ancient grain than previously thought. I read an article recently that made me start researching its value. There is a lot of talk right now about Ozempic—that’s the injected drug to help with diabetes, but it is also known to suppress the appetite. A great many people have lost weight from using it to the point that it is being considered a diet drug. Of course, it has some pretty unappetizing side effects as well, such as nausea. This sounds like a no-go since tossing my cookies is not on my bucket list of things to do every day. Or any day.
But this article made me do a double-take. It reminds me once again that food itself is medicine.
Now, I don’t have diabetes, but since moving to the Pacific Northwest from Hawaii, I have gained a good twenty pounds. Writing a cookbook hasn’t helped, and neither does getting older, even though I like cooking with natural ingredients. I would not try to coax a prescription from my doctor for Ozempic since I’m not crazier about needles any more than nausea. However, I find it compelling that the ingredients of certain fiber types target the hormones that regulate hunger and satiety. What a find!
I’m not going further on this subject than that since you can read the article yourself—this is not a diet blog, though I love healthier and natural options over any drug. I’m also not a scientist so you can research this independently. Enough said.
But reading this has given me a new respect for barley. That said, soup season gives me a good reason to work up a recipe for a barley soup. Mushroom Barley Soup is a classic, so I will start with that.
If you are so inclined, this is easily made vegan—use veggie broth or stock.
Barley does have gluten, so sadly, this cannot be made gluten-free. It’s just the nature of the beast. Try the same recipe with another GF grain, such as buckwheat groats.
If you love mushrooms as I do, you can use whatever kind you like, though probably the sturdier, the better. Enoki shrooms wouldn’t stand up well to the heat, so they should be added at the end if that’s what you’re using.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large stalk of celery, sliced crosswise
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- ½ tsp fresh minced sage
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 lb mushrooms, any kind or a mixture (I like cremini and white), sliced
- 4 cups chicken or veggie broth
- 1 cup pearled barley
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire (or soy) sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Water as needed
Heat a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. When it starts to shimmer, add the onion and sauté until it softens. Add the celery and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and sage now to allow the heat to release their flavors, then add the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, so all the veggies are evenly cooked.
Pour in the broth (you will need it all) and then the barley. Stir in the Worcestershire or soy sauce and allow to simmer uncovered for at least 40 minutes or until the barley is tender. You may need to add some water before all is said and done because the barley is like a sponge, soaking up the liquid.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread—that’s a necessity!
This serves about 6.
Leftovers can be reheated with water since the barley does an excellent job of soaking up the liquid.
