Series: A Capsule Kitchen: Cozy Vegetable Barley Soup



I came up with this cozy, simple soup when my husband needed to switch up his diet due to health issues. It is now on regular rotation in our kitchen, and has been helping to get us through the cold Pacific Northwest winter. Feel free to use it as a template, and switch out ingredients to suit your needs, or to use up what you have on hand, or follow it to the letter and make it just like I do. It will be yummy either way!



Cozy Vegetable Barley Soup



Ingredients

2-4 russet potatoes, depending on the size

1-2 handfuls of baby carrots or frozen carrots, or 2 regular carrots

¼ cup dried red beans, or ½ a can of cooked (I always use dried beans, as they are more cost effective than canned)

¼ cup barley

¼ - ½ cup frozen corn

¼ - ½ cup frozen kale

¼ - ½ cup frozen peas

2-4 cups water, depending on how thick you want your soup 

Spices (all optional)

I typically season to taste. I recommend starting with a ¼ teaspoon of each, adding more if needed.

Garlic salt

Nutritional yeast

Onion powder

Pepper


Instructions

1. If using dried beans, soak them in a bowl of water in the refrigerator for a few hours before cooking. I usually let them soak for 4-8 hours.

2. Once the beans are soaked, or if you are using canned, rinse and drain them. Add 2-4 cups of water and bring to a boil, reduce heat to allow them to simmer, and cover with the lid angled, to allow some steam out of the pot.

3. As the beans are cooking, wash and peel the potatoes and carrots. Slice carrots (if using fresh) and cut potatoes into chunks. Add them to the beans and stir.

4. Rinse and sort barley and add to the pot.



 5. Add all other ingredients you are using, and make sure there is enough water covering everything. Cover with the lid slightly angled and let simmer for 1-1½ hours, stirring periodically. Add more water as needed, depending on desired thickness.



Done and done! This hearty soup makes enough for us to have for dinner for at least two nights, if not a bit more. We typically pair it with either minimalist cornbread, or minimalist everyday bread (both pictured below).



This cornbread is our favorite. Yum.

This everyday bread pairs well with literally everything.

Frugal tip:

This soup is also delicious over rice if you make it thick like a stew - perfect if you have some left over, but not quite enough for a proper serving.

I hope you enjoy this soup. and that it becomes a favorite in your home, too! 


 


  





Popular posts from this blog

Series: A Capsule Kitchen: Minimalist Cornbread

Image
This simple and humble cornbread is one of my husband's favorites, so I typically bake it once or twice a week. I have it streamlined to just 5 ingredients, which are inexpensive and always on hand. Years ago, we occasionally bought cornbread, and I feel like such a sucker now, as making it at home is so easy, which is why I wanted to share this recipe for fluffy, yummy, cheap and easy cornbread.  Minimalist Cornbread Supplies 8” round baking pan Measuring cup Measuring spoons Spatual Mixing bowl Cooling rack or cutting board Ingredients ( Dry ) 1 cup all-purpose flour (whole wheat flour also works well, and gives it a bit of a rustic taste and  texture)  1 cup cornmeal 1 tablespoon baking powder ( Wet ) ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 cup water (I've used almond milk, but found water works just fine, and is much more cost-effective) Optional ingredients   Pinch of salt A drizzle of agave or maple syrup, if you like a sweeter flavor Grated vegan cheese or a sprinkling of nutri...
Read more

Series: A Capsule Kitchen: An Introduction + Minimalist Everyday Bread Recipe

Image
  This is the first post in a new series I’ve opted to call “A Capsule Kitchen”, which I will be incorporating into my blog every other month. Typically, I write about art and creativity, with the occasional off-topic piece peppered in for a bit of variety. This year, I came up with the idea of “A Capsule Kitchen”, and thought it would be a fun addition. Each post in the series will feature a tried-and-true recipe that is in regular rotation in my household. For the introduction of the series, I thought it might be helpful to provide some context and a brief background, before starting things off with a simple staple recipe. My husband and I eat a vegan diet, and I do the cooking and baking, which I enjoy, especially now that I have a curated collection of trusty go-tos we both like and that are easy to prepare. We are decidedly unfancy when it comes to our food preferences, both by choice and necessity, which will be clear from the recipes I will be sharing. I decided to call the ...
Read more

Series: A Capsule Kitchen: Simple Vegan Pancakes

Image
When I first proposed the idea of making vegan pancakes a couple of years ago, my husband was a bit skeptical (which is fair, as not everything I attempt ends up being a win), but these tasty cakes ended up starting a new weekly ritual for us that we deemed “Pancake Sunday”. I make pancakes, and he selects accompanying brunch music, which is usually either jazz or classical. We slow down, catch up with each other and the news, and ease into the day.  These pancakes use the minimum amount of ingredients and are super easy to prepare. The whole wheat flour, olive oil, and absence of salt or sugar make this a healthy breakfast option (as to what you use for toppings…that may be a different story). Simple Vegan Pancakes Supplies Measuring cup Measuring spoons Mixing bowl Sifter (optional) Frying pan Spatula Ingredients (Dry) 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon baking powder (Wet) 1 cup water 2 tablespoons olive oil 1-2 teaspoons vanilla Instructions Sift flour (optional, but I do it) ...
Read more