Lentil Barley Vegetable Stew
Season: Summer
Produce: Celery
Preparation: 80 min, easy
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 leeks diced
2 celery in 1/4 in. slices
2 zucchini diced
1 large onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
5-6 cup vegetable broth
2 cup diced seeded ripe tomatoes
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup course-chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
Directions: Heat olive oil over med-high heat. Reduce to med and add carrots, leeks, celery, zucchini, onions, and garlic. Cook low 15 min, stirring. Stir in thyme. Add lentils, barley, and 5 cups broth. Bring to boil, reduce, simmer uncovered for 30 min., stir often. Add tomatoes, basil, and parsley; salt and pepper. Cook 10 more min. until lentil and barley are tender. If stew is dry, add 1 c. broth. Add tabasco for a little tangy spice as needed. You can modify this recipe to use the vegetables you have available/in season. I like to add more garlic too. Serve immediately or refrigerate covered.
Nutrition: This stew is an explosion of healthiness! Using a variety of vegetables and foods from different food groups adds color and vastly improves nutritional quality. Olive oil is considered a heart healthy oil due to its fatty acid profile, which is low in saturated fatty acids while high in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, olive oil is a great way to incorporate fat, which is an essential macronutrient, into your diet. Celery is a very good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, folate, and potassium.
