Beef barley soup

Life comes at you fast. With our fast paced lives, it can be so easy to forget the little things. While relationships need to be nurtured, we also have to work, run errands, keep up with the housework and pay bills. Makes it hard to stop and smell the roses sometimes. It can especially make it difficult to nurture a relationship. Today's tip is simple.

Romantic Tip: No matter how busy, remember to say "I love you" and "I  need you" often.

Now that we are deep into harvest time, it is time for me to pull out some more soup recipes from my hat. Beef Barley is a favorite of ours. Wholesome whole grain with tender grass fed steak and vegetables. It is a one pot meal. This recipe is my favorite. 

Beef Barley Soup

adapted from Skinnytaste.com 

Makes 2 large bowls

1/2 tsp oil 

1/2 lb lean beef round stew meat 

1/2 cup chopped carrots 

1/2 cup chopped onions 

1/4 cup chopped celery 

2 cloves garlic, chopped 

3 cups water 

1  tsp kosher salt, to taste 

1 bay leaf

1/3 cup dry barley 

fresh ground black pepper 

Heat a large heavy pot or dutch oven on medium heat. Add oil and beef, season with a little salt and brown meat a few minutes.

When meat is browned, add carrots, onion, celery and garlic to the pot and give it a good stir.

Add water, salt and bay leaves and bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer covered over low heat until the meat is soft, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Add the barley, adjust the salt if needed and add fresh ground pepper. Simmer an additional 30-35, remove bay leaves and serve.