Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 small Onion, chopped
1 stalk Celery, chopped
½ cup Pot barley
6 cups Water
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Basil
1 teaspoon Oregano
2 teaspoons Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Thyme
½ teaspoon Black pepper
1 can (398 mL) Mixed vegetables, drained
1 can (540 mL) Navy beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Add oil, onion and celery to a large pot over medium heat. Cook until onion and celery are soft, about 3 minutes.
2. Add pot barley, water, salt, basil, oregano, garlic powder, thyme and black pepper.
3. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes with lid on, until barley is soft. Sift often to prevent barley from sticking to pot.
4. Add mixed vegetables and navy beans to pot. Stir together. Simmer on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 4-6

Tip:
– Try adding ground beef, turkey or chicken for more iron.
– Try frozen mixed vegetables instead of canned.
– Add canned or fresh tomatoes for a different flavour. The vitamin C in the tomatoes will help your body absorb more of the iron from the beans!