This Slow Cooker Vegetable Barley Soup recipe couldn’t be easier. Just throw everything in the crockpot and walk away! Healthy, delicious and packed with nutrients. 164 calories and 4 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
I am a salad lover, through and through. The more “stuff” in the salad the better – veggies, leftover chicken, raw nuts, sautéed mushroom, a little feta cheese. You name it, it’s likely been in my lunchtime salad. As much as I like to dig into my favorite salad recipes, sometimes I need something more comforting (and warm!) on a chilly day.
That’s when I dig into my soup files. Typically I double a recipe so that I can either eat it for several lunches or freeze portions for easy dinners. When that soup can be made in a slow cooker while I’m sleeping (multi-tasking at its finest), I feel like I’ve won the lunch lottery.
The beauty of a soup like this is that you can throw almost any vegetable into the mix, substituting your favorites for any of the ingredients listed. Use what’s already in your fridge or freezer – frozen vegetables are great for slow cooker soup – so that you don’t have to make a separate trip to the store. I used sweet potato, carrots, onion, frozen green beans, celery and canned tomatoes, along with a scoop of pearl barley. If some of those ingredients don’t float your boat, feel free to make substitutions.
If I’m eating this for a light lunch, I’ll typically serve it alongside some whole grain crackers and hummus for an added boost of protein. You could also add beans, shredded rotisserie chicken or sautéed beef to make a more hearty dinnertime meal for your family.
This recipes makes a ton of soup (11 cups), which makes it ideal for eating then freezing. Meals for days!
FULL RECIPE IN THE NEXT PAGE, ENJOY ????
