After I made this soup earlier in the week, I began thinking about the cost of food. I’m sure you’ve at least once complained about how your own grocery bill seems to climb up and up and up. I know I sure have and I’ve heard many others discuss this topic as well. The price we pay for food is something tough to get away from. I mean, we all eat, so we all pay. Sometimes I just wish it didn’t cost so much.
The reason I began thinking about this topic after preparing this particular soup is because the ingredients didn’t really cost all that much at all. If memory serves, everything it took to put together this extremely filling and great tasting soup cost only around $9. And get this, I doubled up on all the ingredients! In all, I made six quarts of soup, which is a gallon and a half. I know this because I store the leftovers in plastic quart containers that I either store in the refrigerator or freezer. So between two people, six quarts of soup could easily last six nights. so if you do the math, you’ll find that the ingredients for each quart only cost about $1.50. Divided between two people, that’s dinner for only $.75 cents each. Incredible. Basically, after I thought about all this, I realized that I may be complaining about all the wrong things. Perhaps I should be complaining about my propensity for eating salmon and shrimp as opposed to barley soup. It’s a lot cheaper going with the barley. I do love my salmon though.
Here’s a fun fact for you. Did you know that after I graduated from college, I moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where I worked to save money to return to New York for graduate school? During my stint in Atlanta, I ate rice and beans almost every single night for dinner. I saved so much money by doing this that I managed to leave the city with all I needed to earn an MBA the next year. I also lost about 30 pounds, which was somewhat shocking to a few people, but hey, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.
The Recipe
This soup is incredibly easy to put together and as I alluded to above, it hits just the right spot. I sit back after enjoying this soup for dinner a happy man. Perhaps it’s the barley. I’m not sure, but my bowl is filled with goodness and I have to say, eating a hot bowl of soup while it’s rainy and cold outside can’t be beat. It’s the right thing to do.
With only a few ingredients, a simple process of preparation and some great taste, I think you’ll love this recipe and you’ll save it for later use. It can’t be beat.
Ingredients
Serves: 6
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Large Sweet Onion, Chopped
3 Large Carrots, Diced
3 Celery Stalks, Diced
1 Teaspoon Garlic, Minced
1 Pound Fresh Mushrooms, Sliced
6 Cups Vegetable Broth
1 Cup Barley
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
I also added a few teaspoons of dried basil, thyme and oregano for some additional flavor. Feel free to do this as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
I’d like to thank AllRecipes for this recipe. It’s simple and fast and it’s just perfect.
Soften the Vegetables
Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat on your stove top. Then, add in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and mushrooms. Stir and let cook for about 15 minutes. The vegetables should soften and lightly brown during this time.
Add Barley & Let Cook
Next, add in the broth, barley, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and raise the heat until the broth begins to boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the soup to cook for 50 minutes. The barley will soften and become chewy during this time.
When finished, divide the soup between bowls, serve and enjoy!
If you try this recipe out, please let me know your thoughts below. Thanks for reading!
Leave a Reply