Barley Lentil Soup with Chicken Sausage
The weather has been pretty gloomy the last couple of days. Automatically, my mind goes straight to comfort food – a nice warm bowl of soup. I wanted to make something that was easy, quick, delicious and of course healthy. As of late, I’ve been way obsessed with barley. I was inspired and wanted to try out this barley lentil Soup with chicken sausage.
This recipe is very well balanced. If you are watching your weight like me, a bowl of this soup is less than 300 calories. Filled with vegetables, greens, grains, and protein it will keep you full and satisfied throughout the whole day. It is also a great meal to sit down for dinner and relax with after a long day of work.
Lovin’ on Barley – Nutritional Benefits for Weight Loss
Barley has a high fiber content. A cup of cooked barley actually has more fiber but fewer calories and fat content than quinoa, brown rice, or wild rice. Consuming high fiber foods will make you feel fuller and longer. If you’re looking to lose weight, integrating fiber in your diet will be very beneficial. Feeling fuller and longer without the extra calories will also help curb off those unnecessary “snacky” cravings throughout the day.
Barley is also high in vitamins and minerals like selenium which promote skin and hair health along with boosting a healthy metabolism. Moreover, it is also known to improve digestion, help control blood-sugar levels, and help lower high cholesterol. With all these benefits along with its tastiness, adding barley to your diet should be no question.
Barley Lentil Soup – “picker-eater” approved
As I find a better balance with our diets, I’ve been trying to incorporate more veggies, more greens, more grains, and healthier proteins into our meals. The transition hasn’t been as smooth since my boyfriend can be quite a “picky eater”. This is a man who eats like a little kid and adores burgers, pizza, french fries, and chocolate. His only concept of meat is beef. To him, chicken and pork just doesn’t count and will not cut it. This barley lentil soup had so many words that scared him – barley, lentil, and chicken.
Thus I was utterly shocked when he started eating the chicken sausages happily and didn’t make a funny face while asking me what it was he was eating. I have yet to tell him but I did fib a little and said “sausages” instead of “chicken sausages”. It turned out to be the best white lie that I’ve told him that I was more than happy to tell.
This soup is a definite must-try and I hope you enjoy it as much as my picky-eating boyfriend and I did.
More recipes from LouweezyAnne? Check them out here.
| Cook Time | 1.5 hours |
| Servings |
people
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- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup barley
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 onion - diced
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup green lentils
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
- 2 pieces cooked chicken sausages use chicken-apple sausages for a sweeter flavor
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. salt add more to taste
- 1 tsp. pepper add more to taste
Ingredients
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- Prep: dice 1 onion and mince 2 garlic cloves.
- Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a soup pot. Add 1/2 cup barley and cook for about 3 minutes until the barley turns golden in color.
- Add 1 diced onion, 1 cup shredded carrots, and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until the vegetables become tender.
- Stir in 1 tsp. cumin and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add 5 cups of chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, and 1/2 cup of lentils. Cover the pot and simmer on medium for 35-45 minutes or until the barley and lentils become tender. While waiting, chop chicken sausages into bite-size pieces (cut in half lengthwise and slice).
- Remove bay leaves. Pour 1 can of diced tomatoes. Add chicken sausages and remaining seasonings: 1 tsp. salt and pepper, 2 tsp. oregano. Boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Add 3 cups of spinach right before serving. Cook for 1-2 minutes until spinach begins to wilt. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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