It seems just as the weather is starting to warm up here in England, I’ve developed a craving for soup. In all fairness, I’ve always been like that. Ice cream sundaes in December, hot chocolate in July. You get the point.
Some things are just too good to be stuck with a seasonal label!
I have exciting news.
Recently started a love affair with barley!
With it’s fibre, potassium, folate, vitamin B6, and lack of cholesterol, it’s easy to see how this wholesome grain stole my heart, while also making it healthier!
The pairing of lentils and barley worked out way better than I expected. Although they are similar in nutritional benefits, they have different textures; which creates a complimenting balance in this soup recipe. Not to mention it’s cheap and extremely filling, making it a great ingredient to add to your diet.
Another awesome ingredient that I’ve come to love is thyme. It’s a great herb to add to stews, soups and of course sprinkled over roasted vegetables.
This soup takes less than an hour to make, HOWEVER- you need to soak the lentils for 12 hours beforehand. So please keep that in mind before you plan to make this recipe.
This recipe is sooo easy, I almost feel silly for writing it out as a blog post! But of course, I just had to share ;).
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups of green lentils (pre-soaked in water for 12 hours)
- 8 Cups of water
- 2 Knorr Vegetable stock pots
- 2 Medium carrots (diced or cut in a food processor)
- 2 Celery stalks
- 1 Yellow onion
- 1 Cup of dried barley
- 3 Sprigs of fresh thyme
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
- In a large pot add in the water, lentils and fresh thyme, then bring to a light boil for 30 minutes.
- Process or dice the vegetables then add them to the pot, along with the dry barley. Bring the soup to a shimmer and cook for 10 more minutes.
- After the lentils have completely softened, add in salt and additional water dependant on your preference.
* I personally like a thicker lentil soup with less liquids, however my dad likes it more soupy, so it’s completely up to you.
After the soup was done, I roasted up some parsnip wedges and seasoned with fresh thyme, Himalayan salt, and a extra virgin olive oil.
Enjoy!
Jilliana's Glow 