Barley & Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Everyone in my family loves this delicious and nourishing Barley & Roasted Red Pepper Soup (which is kind of a miracle considering I have a few picky eaters in the house!).

For this recipe, be sure to use “hulled barley” rather than “pearled barley”. Hulled barley is considered a whole grain, while pearled barley has been processed to remove the outer layers. The problem with this processing is that most of the nutrition lies in those outer layers! (You can compare the two to the difference between refined white flour and unprocessed whole grain flour.)

Here in Riyadh, I have found organic hulled barley at Tamimi and at souq.com.

The Prophet Muhammed (صلى الله عليه وسلم) recommended talbina (a meal made from powdered barley) for the sick and grieving.

Some of the other health benefits of barley include:

• Great source of fiber, which means improved digestion, lower cholesterol, and better blood sugar control .
• Provides antioxidants to fight cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases.
• Contains nutrients such as vitamin B, selenium, copper, and magnesium. These nutrients help to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Be sure to soak the barley overnight before cooking. This reduces the phytic acid and other anti-nutrients found in the barley. Phytic acid can bind to minerals (such as iron, zinc, manganese and calcium) and slow their absorption.

Soaking the barley in water with an acidic medium (such as vinegar or lemon juice) makes them easier to digest and enables the nutrients in the grain to be better absorbed by your body. It really doesn’t take any extra time to soak your barley, but just requires a little planning ahead.

For more recipes using soaked grains, check these out…

• Overnight Oats
• Soaked Oat Granola
• Soaked Wheat Tortillas
• Overnight Soaked Pancakes
• Soaked Wheat Muffins

My Barley & Roasted Red Pepper Soup was modified from the amazing “Ramadan Nutrition Guide”. This ebook is filled with useful information to keep you healthy not just during Ramadan, but for the whole year! You can get a copy at Fitra Nutrition.

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Barley & Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup hulled barley (not pearled barley)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 2 red bell peppers cut into strips
• 4 medium tomatoes cut in quarters
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic diced
• 2 medium carrots sliced
• 2 sticks celery sliced
• 4 tablespoons butter, ghee, avocado oil, or coconut oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 3 cups (700ml) bone broth
• 1 can (400g) tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Put the hulled barley in a bowl with enough water to cover. Add the apple cider vinegar. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave out on the counter to soak overnight (or for at least 8 hours).
• The next day, drain and rinse the barley and add to a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer (covered) for about 15 min until soft.
• Put the red pepper and tomatoes into a large baking dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Roast for 20 minutes at 350F (180C).
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, cumin, basil, and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the roasted red peppers and tomatoes, bone broth, tomato sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 10 minutes (or until carrots are soft).
• Remove from heat and blend the soup until smooth. Add the cooked barley and stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Enjoy!