5-Minute Crockpot Veggie Soup

This soup is so simple to prepare.  It literally took me less than 5 minutes to put it into my Crockpot one morning last week and within 3 ½ hours (on high) it was ready to eat.  I was so happy to have this warm and hearty soup ready for lunch on a chilly grey fall day.  The barley adds some great fiber while the garbanzo beans add some fiber AND protein.  This rich thick soup offers a complete meal in one bowl.  …WHO says they don’t have time to cook???

Ingredients:

½ cup hulled barley (NOT pearled) uncooked*

1 lb bag of frozen mixed vegetables

1 28 oz can (or carton) crushed tomatoes

4 cups water (or vegetable broth)

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) rinsed and drained (approximately 1 ½ cups)

1 heaping Tablespoon dried minced onion

Salt & pepper

Directions:

Place the barley* in a bowl and cover with water, plus an inch.  Swirl to “wash”.  Set aside.

Into Crockpot, add frozen mixed vegetables, crushed tomatoes, water, garbanzo beans, onion, salt & pepper.

Swirl barley again before draining in mesh colander.  Rinse well under running water and add to Crockpot.

Soup cooks in approximately 3 ½ hours on HIGH or 6 - 7 hours on LOW setting.

Makes approximately 6 large servings.

*Be sure to use HULLED barley instead of PEARLED.  The HULLED barley still has it fibrous outer covering giving you more nutrients (including fiber).  This covering makes the barley take longer to cook.  If you used pearled barley, your barley would be really mush – not to mention “empty” in terms of nutrients.

Elly Haddad is a certified holistic health coach and founder of Elemental Fit - a health coaching practice devoted to educating and equipping women to create balanced lives for themselves and their families.  She works with clients all over the United States in-person and via phone conducting one-on-one counseling sessions, group workshops, teleseminars and cooking classes.  Through improving overall health, her clients find success in conquering cravings, developing healthy eating habits, weight-loss, stress reduction and more.