Chickpea Tomato & Barley Soup

1 cup barley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch lengths
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
scant 1/16th tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinse
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Freeze for up to 3 months

Rinse barley clean under running water. Place in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 1 hour; drain.
In a 5-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, paprika, cumin, barley, broth, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes or until barley is tender.
Add tomatoes and chickpeas and cook for 20 minutes or until flavors have blended. Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

Serving Size: Makes 6 1 cup servings

Number of Servings: 1

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user CINDYBAKER7.