Marietta's Lentil Vegetable Soup with Barley

Ash Wednesday is this week...so I decided that a few vegetarian recipes should be added in the coming weeks.  This is long time favorite that I found on the internet many years ago.  When it was relatively new in my repertoire, I made some for a friend who was recovering from surgery...later she raved about it. I have made this recipe many times over since.

Marietta's Lentil Vegetable Soup with Barley

6 servings

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil 

3/4 cup(s) uncooked celery, chopped
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
6 cup(s) fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth*
28 oz  Whole peeled plum tomatoes
3/4 cup(s) dry lentils, rinsed
3/4 cup(s) uncooked barley, rinsed
table salt, to your taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1 cup(s) Carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (optional)

Heat olive oil in dutch oven. Add celery, onion and salt and pepper and cook until softened. Add garlic and cook a few more minutes. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, lentils, barley, and herbs to pot. Bring to boil , reduce to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes. About 15 minutes prior to serving add the carrots to the pot and simmer until they are softened.

*If I want to make this totally vegetarian, I use 6 vegetarian bouillon cubes and 6 cups water.You can use 6 cups of vegetable broth if it's available.

6 WW points per serving (excluding cheese)