After weeks of rich roasts, creamy desserts, and endless festive leftovers, a hearty bowl of veggie soup feels like exactly what your body’s been waiting for. Recipe compliments of B-well Foods.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion (red and/or white), chopped
• 3 tablespoons B-Well Canola Oil
• 6 cups of water
• 400 g can of diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 2 vegetable stock cubes, reduced sodium
• ½ cup IMBO dried lentils, uncooked
• ½ cup barley, uncooked
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced (purple, yellow, or orange)
• 2 small summer squash (zucchini, patty pans), sliced
• 4 small, thin-skinned potatoes, diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried mustard
• 6 slices whole grain bread
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ cup chopped fresh herbs (sage, parsley, basil, oregano, chives, marjoram)
• Sea salt (optional)

Method

1. In a large pot, heat the B-Well Canola Oil, add the chopped onion, and sauté. 
2. Add water, tomatoes, and lower-sodium vegetable stock and stir together.
3. Add lentils, barley, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, squash, potatoes, mushrooms, black pepper, paprika, thyme, oregano, and mustard. Stir well and cover with a tightfitting lid.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 1 hour until barley and lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.
5. Replace any water lost to evaporation (should be thick in texture).
6. Toast whole-grain bread in the oven or toaster until brown and very crisp. Slice into small cubes.
7. Add lemon juice and fresh herbs to the soup, and season with a small amount of salt 
 (if desired).
8. Ladle hot soup into soup bowls and garnish with whole grain croutons.