Vegetable Barley Soup

I do a monthly health challenge offered by my insurance agency.  One of the challenges this week was to cook a recipe with a new kind of whole grain.  I decided to try a vegetable barley soup.  It turned out pretty well.  I cooked it in a crock pot, but I think it would work fine just in a large pot simmering on the stove.

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

2 stalks celery, sliced

3 carrots, sliced
2 red potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley

water

vegetable soup base

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning Mix

1 zuchini sliced thin

Heat the oil in a pan and then add the onion, celery and garlic. Sautee until soft. Put all ingredients except the zucchini in a crock pot, adding enough water to cover the vegetables, and 1 tsp of soup base for each cup of water you add.  Set on high and cook for 4 hours, or until the carrots and potatoes are soft. (If you are doing it on the stove top, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour).  Add the zucchini and cook an additional 20 minutes or until the zuccini is translucent.  Serve with your favorite whole grain bread.