Bean and Barley Soup

The finished product.

We really enjoyed this super healthy soup which I found on daily meal via pinterest. I doubled it and didn't regret it - yummm!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, chopped2 stalks celery, with leaves, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup barley
1/3 cup lentils
2 red or white creamer potatoes, cut into chunks
One 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Soup in process

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium to large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften and become fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Season with the dried marjoram, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring so the flavors meld and the spices are evenly distributed.

Add the barley, lentils, potatoes, and kidney beans and stir to combine. Pour in enough water to cover the soup contents by about 2 inches. Stir to combine, cover partially, and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove the soup from the heat and let sit a few minutes before serving.

4 servings (Calories: 121; Total fat: 3.7 g; Saturated fat: 0.5 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 1,265 mg; Total carbohydrate: 18 g; Dietary fiber: 6.9g; Sugars: 4.2 g; Protein: 5.2 g.)