Barley Vegetable Soup

Serves four

• 60 g Pearl barley
• 1 Leek (diced)
• 100 g Swede (peeled and diced)
• 2 carrots (peeled and diced)
• 2 large onions (diced)
• Celery (diced)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Vegetable stock
• Salt & pepper to taste

Nutritional information
Per serving: 154 Kcal

Environmental Impact

Per serving: 
68 grams CO₂ equivalence - carbon footprint
141 litres - water footprint

This recipe’s environmental sustainability level is: Very high.

To eat sustainably at each meal, our advice is to keep within 1000 grams of CO₂ equivalence (carbon footprint) and 1000 litres of virtual water (water footprint). Remember that animal protein (meat, cheese, fish and eggs) have a greater impact than grains, beans, pulses and vegetables. Vegetable sides generally have a low environmental impact, equivalent to around 100 grams of CO₂, including dressing.

Method

Pre-soak the barley in cold water for at least one hour. Once soaked, rinse off and drain in a colander.

Heat oil in a sauce pan. Add the leek, swede, carrot, onion, and celery to pan and sweat for 10 minutes until softened.

Fold in the barley and add enough stock to cover the mixture. Simmer until barley and vegetables are cooked through.

Taste and adjust seasoning and consistency with a little stock if necessary.

The Chef’s Advice

To make stock, whisk the bouillon into boiling water and decant into a serving vessel.

Nutritional Advice

Soups are an excellent way of making sure you get your five-a-day.

Environmental Advice

Choose seasonal ingredients, local or traditional varieties.

Fruits and veggies have a low environmental footprint, especially when grown in season. Eating fresh, seasonal produce means that what we’re eating will have been grown in a way that works with the weather and doesn’t require lots of energy to grow or store and is lovely and fresh.