Mushroom Barley Soup Recipe

This heart-healthy recipe for whole foods mushroom barley soup is a great vegan variation on the classic dish found in most eastern european and jewish restaurants. Strengthening for digestion and excellent for building the blood, mushroom barley soup is a wonderful, warming, fall/winter food. Barley is a rich source of plant fiber and nourishes intestinal health, as well as lowering cholesterol and being an excellent source of nutrients. We love the addition of dried shiitake mushrooms for their medicinal and healing value: they are purported to improve immunity, strengthen the heart and cardiovascular function, and aid in the body's detoxification process. You can certainly substitute a rich bone broth (grass-fed beef broth or a good homemade free-range chicken broth add to the richness and nutritive value if you're thus inclined). This soup is a cost-effective meal in itself, and invites plenty of variation: feel free to add a parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, sweet potato, or leek to this soup. Serve it with a green salad and a nice hunk of sourdough bread, and you've got a meal. To our gluten-free friends: substitute job's tears or short grain brown rice for the barley, which is one of the top gluten-containing grains.