Healthy Recipes #22 Barley Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced in 1/4-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups crimini mushrooms, cut in half and sliced
1/2 cup Tawny port
1 TBS + 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1 TBS chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
1/2 TBS chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp dried sage)
Salt and black pepper to taste


Directions:
Rinse and soak barley in 1 cup of warm water while preparing rest of ingredients.
Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot. Healthy Sauté onion, garlic, and carrots in broth for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Add mushrooms and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes. Add drained barley and Tawny Port and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add rest of broth and bring soup to a boil on high heat. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until barley and carrots are tender.
Add herbs, salt, and pepper at the end of cooking and serve.