Pull out the crock pot and you’ll have a delicious soup ready for dinner, no meat required!

Vegan barley soup

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 lb or 450 g textured soy protein (TVP)
• 1 pod Knorr Homestyle vegetable stock
• 1 can (10 fl oz or 284 mL) tomato soup
• 3 1/2 soup cans filled with water
• 1 can (14 fl oz or 398 mL) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen baby carrots or 3 large carrots
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup or more pot barley
• Hot chili sauce (optional)

Method:

It’s best to prepare this dish the night before, starting with heating olive oil in a large non-stick pan at medium-high.

Chop onion and add it to the pan as you cut. Chop celery and add to pan. Cook until softened stirring occasionally.

Melt vegetable stock pod in pan. Toss into the center crock of slow cooker.

Next, add the rest of the ingredients to crock pot: textured vegetable protein, tomato soup, water, diced tomatoes, carrots, Worcestershire, bay leaf, pepper, seasoning and barley.

Stir to combine and store in fridge overnight.

In the morning, return centre crock with cover to the outer crock and set on low heat for 8 to 10 hours.

Then it’s into a bowl and onto the table to be served!

Courtesy Sandi Richard
www.cookingfortherushed.com
@sandi_richard