Quick Mushroom Barley Soup

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 1/4 pounds white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
* 1 medium red onion, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 4 cups canned reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
* 2 1/2 cups water
* 1 cup quick-cooking barley
* 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 chunk (1 ounce) Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add broth and 2 1/2 cups water to pan; bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to a simmer; add barley, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove soup from heat; stir in parsley and lemon juice. Serve garnished with Parmesan.

Serves 4

Helpful Hint

Quick-cooking barley is pre-steamed and takes only 10 minutes to cook (regular pearl barley takes more than twice the amount of time and requires a lot more liquid).

Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MANGOBANGO.