Bought a box of barley for my beef & barley stew and they had this recipe on it so decided to try it out yesterday and it was fabulous!
4cups chicken, beef or veggie broth
2cups of pureed/crushed tomatoes or salsa
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
a few bay leaves
1cup quick cooking barley
spice it up with: chili powder, cajun, cayenne pepper, cumin
(everyone has their own heat levels, so that's why I don't put measurements!)
1 green zucchini, diced
1cup carrots, diced
(you can also add diced celery or any other veggies on hand: peppers, mushrooms, onions, etc)
1 can corn
1 can black or pinto beans.
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
In a dutch oven or pot, combine the first 6 ingredients until they just come to a boil. While they are heating up, saute the veggies in some olive oil with a little salt & pepper until they are tender, about 5min. Add to pot, hopefully things are simmering in there, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20min. You will also need to stir from time to time so that your barley does not settle to the bottom of the pot & burn. (This allows it to thoroughly cook). Then add in your corn, beans, garlic, salt & pepper simmer for another 5-10min until barley is tender. That is it! All done, serve with tortilla chips or corn bread. Top with reduced-fat sour cream and cheddar cheese for an added delight!
You can also add rotisserie chicken or turkey (if you have some left-over from the holidays) or cubed chicken breast to add a protein punch!
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