Kale and Barley Soup Recipe with Turnips and Mushrooms

This is another great recipe to help fight the LONG winter. Why is it still snowing!!? I'm not quite sure, but all I know is that soup makes everything feel better. Try this new soup recipe that I experimented with last week.  The turnips and barely give it great texture and the mushrooms are great for your immune system. 

Ingredients:

• 1 TBS olive oil
  
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 tbsp ginger, minced
  
• 2 large purple-topped turnips
  
• 4 cups kale
  
• 1 cup barley
  
• 1 cup mushrooms
  
• 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, or 1 can rinsed and drained
  
• 2 tomatoes, chopped  
  
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  
• 1 tsp paprika
  
• 3/4 cup fresh dill
  
• 5-6 cups low sodium vegetable stock
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
  

Cooking/prep:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and tomato, and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the turnips, and fresh thyme Cook covered  for about 3 more minutes.
   
   
2. Add 6 cups of vegetable stock. Bring to a boil,  add paprika and barley.  Reduce to medium heat and simmer barley for about 10 minutes.
   
   
3. Stir in  beans and 1/2 of the dill. If  the soup is too thick add a bit more stock or water. Season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper as needed.
   
   
4. Just after you turn off the heat, add mushrooms and kale and cover for 5-7 minutes. I like to add my leafy veggies at the end so they are not over cooked. Allow the soup to sit for 15 mins before serving.
   
   
5. Top of with sprinkle of fresh dill before you serve.
   
   

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