Turkey Barley Soup

Did you know that the CDC recommends that adults eat 5 servings of vegetables every single day?  I don't know about you, but I struggle with trying to eat that many.  Especially during this time of year when fresh vegetables are harder to find.  🌽🥒🫑  During the winter months, I rely on lettuce, carrots, celery and broccoli for the majority of my veggie intake - mostly because they're the freshest looking vegetables in the grocery store right now. 🥦🥕

We've been going through so many carrots lately, that I've started buying the giant 10 pound bag.  That seems like a lot for the 2 of us who live in this house to consume BUT, we actually share a love of carrots with Hector - our favorite donkey.  ​

Hector makes our walks around the neighborhood, a whole lot more fun and feeding him a carrot never fails to bring a smile to my face - and his.🤣  The only problem with sharing our favorite winter vegetable with this grateful donkey is that sometimes, when I want carrots for our meal, I realize that we've fed them all to Hector. 😂

So even though I had to make an extra trip to the grocery store for more carrots before I made this Turkey Barley Soup, it was totally worth it.  I love the combination of hearty, chewy barley, lean turkey, warm spices and of course, carrots!  This is one of the most filling and satisfying soups that I've made in a long time.  

Turkey Barley Soup
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 carrots, thinly sliced
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups diced cooked turkey
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt, to taste

Heat oil in skillet.  Add onions, carrots and celery and cook until softened. 

Add to slow cooker along with chicken stock, turkey, barley, bay leaf, thyme, marjoram and pepper. 

Cover and cook on low 6 hours.  Add salt to taste. 

Turkey Barley Soup is one of the most delicious ways that I can think of to get a couple more servings of vegetables into my diet.  😋  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.   

Ciao!

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