Recipe: Three-Mushroom Barley Soup

This rich-tasting soup boasts only 1 gram of fat in each serving. The best part? The taste. Meaty mushrooms of various varieties and barley are a perfect pair.

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Ingredients

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 large yellow onion
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped (1/4 cup)
12 ounces fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 medium-large fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
3 quarts (12 cups) vegetable stock
2 cups hulled barley or pearled barley
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste
Pepper to taste
Parsley or cilantro
1 bag (3-4 handfuls) spinach

Directions

Soak porcini mushrooms in warm water for about 30 minutes, until soft. Drain, squeeze out (save liquid to use
later in the soup), and chop.
Stir-fry onion in a soup pot until beginning to soften. Add carrots, celery, and all the mushrooms. Cook a few
minutes, until fresh mushrooms begin to soften.
Add vegetable stock, barley, bay leaf, and porcini soaking liquid. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1
hour, adding more liquid if necessary.
Add vinegar and pepper to taste. Before serving, add cilantro/parsley and spinach.