Sage Barley Mushroom Soup

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs mushrooms, sliced (shitake, baby bellas, or button)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (to taste)
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 4 ounces goat cheese (optional) or 4 ounces ricotta cheese (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Recipe

• 1 heat olive oil in large non-stick pan over medium heat. add onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. add mushrooms, bell pepper, sage and red pepper. cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are wilted, about 15 minutes.
• 2 add bay leaves and broth, and heat to boil. add barley, reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered until barley is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. add salt and pepper to taste.
• 3 add cheese if desired, and cook just enough to melt cheese about 5 minutes. remove bay leaves.
• 4 the original recipe from cdkitchen for sage barley-mushroom soup can be viewed at www.cdkitchen.com.