Recipe: Vegetable and Chicken Chowder with Barley

Vegetable and Chicken Chowder with Barley
From the American Institute for Cancer Research

2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 cup onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried cilantro
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 15.5-oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup yellow split peas, picked over and rinsed
1/2 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/2 cup barley
8 cups chicken bouillon or canned low-fat chicken broth
1 large bay leaf
1-2 tsp. salt (if desired), to taste
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1 cup diced cooked chicken

Heat a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over high heat. Add oil and reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, thyme, cilantro and parsley. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and pale gold.

Add beans, split peas, lentils, barley, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables, legumes and barley are tender, stirring occasionally. (If liquid evaporates too quickly and mixture becomes dry, add additional broth or water in incremental amounts, about 1/2 cup at a time, until chowder resembles a thick soup.) Add chicken and heat through. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary, to taste.

Note: This chowder can easily be modified to a vegetarian chowder by substituting vegetable for chicken broth and eliminating the chicken.