Recipe Wednesday - Beef and Barley Soup

OK, I need a catchier name than "Recipe Wednesday" but it will work for now. Today's recipe is Beef and Barley Soup. Thanks to a fellow TT Member for posting the original recipe on the TT Member forum. This is my updated version. I changed a few things and make it in a crock pot. This is a great fall recipe. I like to serve it with a slice of buttered wheat bread, but it's perfect just the way it is.

Beef and Barley Soup

Cooking Spray
1 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 medium rib of celery, chopped
2 cups chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
splash of worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14-ounce can less-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Brown the beef on all sides. Remove from pan and place in a crock pot.

2. Heat 1t canola oil, if needed, in pan over medium-high heat. (If the beef was fatty, you may not need to add additional oil.) Add celery, carrot, and garlic; saute 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove veggies from pan and place in crock pot.


3. Add water, salt, worcestershire sauce, pepper, broth and barley to crock pot. Cook on low for at least 4-5 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours.

Serves 4



I forgot to take a picture the soup the last time I made it, but I did take a picture of my dessert tonight. Pumpkin Cheesecake from the Eating for Life cookbook. I could live on this cheesecake. I eat it year round, but it's great for fall. I've even used it as a substitution for pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.




Yummy!