Mushroom Barley Soup

The hardest part of making this soup is buying the right barley. Read the package
and make sure it’s quick-cooking “pearled” barley.
Ingredients
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3 cups fresh mushrooms, any variety
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1 tsp. olive oil
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1 tsp. light margarine
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1 cup chopped onion
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1 cup quick barley
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4 cups vegetable broth
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2 cups water
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1 14.5-oz. can petite diced tomatoes
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1 carrot
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1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or other herb
Directions
Brush mushrooms to remove any soil that may be clinging to them. Rinse under cool
water and drain. Trim stems and cut into bite-sized pieces, remembering that mushrooms
shrink when cooked.
Heat olive oil and margarine in a large soup pot. Add onion and mushrooms. Stir till
onions are wilted and mushrooms give up their moisture. Add barley, broth, water,
and tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes or until barley is tender.
Turn off heat. Use a vegetable peeler to put thin strips of carrot into soup. Add
parsley.
Serve immediately.
Makes 8 generous servings
Each serving contains about 120 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat),
0 g cholesterol, 199 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugars,
and 4 g protein.