Tomato Barley Soup With Cajun Seasoning

Vegetarian

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6  cups water
• 1  lb barley, whole grain (not pearled)
• 3  lbs tomatoes, canned, chopped
• 1  onion, large, chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, crushed
• 2  tablespoons  cajun seasoning, blended

Directions

1. To a crock-pot (slow cooker) on “high” setting, add 6 cups of boiling Water. (We heat the water in a microwave oven, 2 cups at a time, and add it to the crock- pot.)
2. Check Barley carefully, discarding any extraneous matter. Rinse and add Barley to crock-pot. Cover.
3. When Barley has swollen and is beginning to soften, add washed, peeled, chopped Onion and cleaned, crushed Garlic cloves. (To save time, a microwave oven may be used to heat Onion and Garlic pieces, with Tomato pieces, until Onion becomes nearly translucent, before adding to crock-pot.)
4. If using fresh Tomatoes, wash and chop them. Add to crock-pot. (See time saving suggestion in previous paragraph.) If using canned whole, peeled Tomatoes, cut into pieces before adding to crock-pot. Try adding one tablespoon blended Cajun Seasoning. Stir, cover, and continue to heat on “high” setting.
5. Taste and add another tablespoon Cajun Seasoning, if desired.
6. When Barley and Onions are soft, the soup is ready. Goes great with a large tossed salad.