Vegetable Beef Soup

Fall is here and soup season is upon us!!  I love to make soups and this one is a great way to get rid of all the extra vegetables in your refrigerator!!  My kids even like this one and with the pearled barley in it for substance, your husband shouldn't complain that it's not filling enough!! Try it out and see :)

Vegetable Beef Soup

2 T. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 lb. organic ground beef (preferably grass fed)

4 stalks celery, diced

6 lg. carrots or 20 baby carrots, diced

1 bell pepper, diced (any color)

1 ½ c. frozen corn

12 c. beef broth

1 ½ c. pearled barley, uncooked

1 can fire roasted tomatoes, diced

½ t. garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Saute onion in olive oil for about 3-5 minutes on med high heat.  Add ground beef and cook until done.  Then add celery, carrots, & the bell pepper and sauté for another 5 minutes on medium high heat.  Add frozen corn and beef broth.  Bring to a boil.  When boiling, add pearled barley and bring to boil again.  Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and cover pot to cook barley (20-30 minutes).  Once barley seems to be tender, add the can of roasted tomatoes, garlic powder, and salt & pepper to taste. 

This makes a lot of soup, but it freezes well.  Eat it for dinner, save some for leftovers, and freeze the rest!  Or better yet, share with a neighbor on a cold, rainy day!!

This is a great meal for a bread day!  Delicious 12 grain bread with homemade soup!!  It doesn’t get better than that!

Bon Appetit