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Hearty Beef & Barley Soup

Ingredients
1 pound Laura's Lean Ground Beef or Ground Round
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 46-ounce can V8 juice (low sodium)
1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup pearled barley
1 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf
8 ounces frozen peas

Optional Ingredients:
2 cups chopped washed greens, such as spinach, kale, or Swiss chard
2 cups sliced mushrooms

Directions
1. Coat large Dutch oven lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Place Dutch oven on stove over medium high heat.
2. Add ground beef. Stir to crumble while browning.
3. Add onion and garlic to meat. Cook onion and garlic until translucent.
4. Add V8 juice, crushed tomatoes, 2 cups water, barley, carrots, celery and spices.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover.
6. Simmer until barley and vegetables are done (about 30 minutes).
7. Add frozen peas and optional vegetables.
8. Return to a simmer for about 8-12 minutes.
9. Taste for salt and serve.

Makes 8 servings.

Cooking Tip: This soup offers lots of opportunities for experimentation to suit your personal tastes. Some ideas: double the barley; substitute diced tomatoes for crushed; add green beans or lima beans; or, double the oregano and basil.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving

Using Laura's 92% Lean Ground Beef
CALORIES 204 (24% from fat); FAT 4.8g (sat 2.0g); PROTEIN 15.0g; CARB 26.2g; FIBER 3.7g; CHOL 34mg; IRON 2.5mg; SODIUM 141mg

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch; 2 vegetable; 1 medium fat meat

Using Laura's 96% Lean Ground Round
CALORIES 187 (12% from fat); FAT 2.5g (sat 1.0g); PROTEIN 16.9g; CARB 22.9g; FIBER 5.2g; CHOL 30mg; IRON 3.1mg; SODIUM 271mg

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch; 2 vegetable; 1 lean meat