Warm From the Inside Bean and Vegetable Soup

Bean Soup (with barley added.)

All of the ingredients in the crock pot.

In a Durango, Colorado restaurant this summer, one of my teen daughters and I ordered soup with our meal.  It was so delicious, we took note of the kinds of beans and veggies that were in it.  At home, we decided to try our own version.  We meshed a few different recipes to come up with this one.  The result turned out wonderfully.

In the mood for soup, hon?  This is a winner!

BEAN AND VEGETABLE SOUP

8 cups water

4 vegetable bouillon cubes (or chicken bouillon)

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

approximately 1-2 teaspoons garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons olive oil for sauteing

1-15 ounce can pinto beans, drain and rinse all beans and chick peas

1-15 ounce can black beans

1-15 ounce can red kidney beans

1-12 ounce can corn

1-15 ounce can chick peas

1 teaspoon basil, dried or fresh

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

pepper to taste

optional:  barley, prepared as per directions on bag

Directions:

Saute celery, onion and garlic before adding to soup pot. They can be sauteed together or separately depending on the size of your saute pan.  Heat about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in pan first, then saute, stirring frequently, over medium heat for 3 -4 minutes.  Add remaining olive oil as needed.

Crush the vegetable bouillon cubes, add to 8 cups of water and heat in microwave for a minute or so.  Stir bouillon in water so it starts to dissolve.

Pour water/bouillon mix into a crock pot of soup pot.  Add sauteed onion, celery and garlic.  Add pinto, black and kidney beans, corn and chick peas and the remaining ingredients.

Optional.  If adding barley, prepare per directions on bag, then add to soup.

Crock Pot Directions:

Set crock pot to low and let cook for about 4 to 5 hours.  It could be done sooner, but if you are going out, you can leave it on low for quite some time.

Soup Pot Directions:

Cover soup pot and, over medium heat, bring to a boil.  Then simmer for 45 minutes.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings