Earthy Lentil & Barley Stew

This stew was inspired by a recipe from Fat Free Vegan and it turned out to be so delicious that it's going to be a weekly favorite come Autumn! It was cool and gloomy today, and we thoroughly enjoyed this warm and nourishing dish! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!




Earthy Lentil and Barley Stew

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils
3/4 cup hulled or pearled barley (I used Quaker Pearled Barley-cooks in 10 mins)
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp fresh thyme (fresh if you have it -leaves only-)
1/2 tsp oregano
6 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika or red pepper

1/2 tsp salt
2 cups fresh spinach

Saute onions and garlic until golden brown.
Add spices and 1 cup of vegetable stock, simmer until well blended.
Add carrots, mushrooms, lentils and barley and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add the rest of the stock, cover and cook until carrots and barley are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Add salt to taste and spinach, if desired. Cover again and cook briefly until spinach is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes.

Servings: 6

Nutrition info per serving: 78 calories, 4 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g fat, 159 mg sodium