Barley Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms and Chicken Sausage

Barley Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms and Chicken Sausage

I’ve been trying to lose a few pounds lately but it has been hard with my love of  cooking but I found this recipe for Barley Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms and Chicken Sausage. It is billed as a lighter meal but after trying it you never would guess!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 C chopped red onions
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 C Pearled Barley
• 4 C Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 fresh or dried bay leaf
• 6 oz chicken sausage
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

The Recipe

1. In a Dutch Oven heat the olive oil over medium low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring and scraping the browned bits off of the bottom, until well browned and tender, about 15 minutes. (I used a bit of the broth to de-glaze the pan while the onions and garlic cooked.)
2. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the barley and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broth, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Bring back to a boil,then reduce the heat and simmer partial covered, until the barley is tender, about 40 minutes. (I had to let it go for about an hour until my barley softened.) Add the sausage during the last 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and fish out the thyme and bay leaf. Add the salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Add a little waterifit needs to be thinned out.

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