Savory Barley Soup

Whether it’s a cold winter day or you’re just a huge fan of soup, this savory barley soup will certainly win your heart. This soup is high in dietary fiber, vitamin K, protein, folate, vitamin A, and B vitamins. It’s extremely filling and has a unique yet scrumptious taste. Try this recipe instead of canned soup you may be accustomed to. It’s fairly simple to prepare, and contains many health benefits.

Barley is one of the Sunnah Superfoods I’ve covered in my book. It is a great replacement for white rice which is stripped of its nutrients. Barley is in its whole form and is full of fiber, B  vitamin, and selenium. Cook barley and serve it with your favorite dishes as a replacement for white rice, pasta, or other grains. It’ll provide a boost of vitamins, minerals, and heart health benefits. Are you curious as to why I specified that you soak the barley overnight?

This soup has nutrients from every angle, and provides you with the perfect combination of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and great taste!

Soaking the barley reduces the phytic acid, thus makes it easier to digest. Phytic acid also binds to essential minerals in your gut, like calcium, zinc, iron, and magnesium. This means your body will not absorb these minerals from your food, consequently lowering the nutritional intake from your meal. I had many clients who usually have trouble digesting grains. They’ve found much comfort after soaking them overnight. It’s easy and quick to do; give it a try and see if it helps you.

When it comes to bone-broth, I frankly don’t recommend you purchase any kind that comes in a box or can. The majority are extremely high in refined sodium. Atop that, you’ll most likely find genetically modified soy ingredients in the product. I provide a delicious and easy homemade bone broth in my book, and it has become a staple in the diets of many of my clients. Bone broth has a myriad of health benefits that will surprise you- ranging from autoimmune diseases to more basic sicknesses like the flu.

Kale, a leafy green, comes along with 1108% vitamin K in just one cup. That’s right, kale is a scrumptious super food. Kale also contains over 15 nutrients per serving. It’s very high in antioxidants and carries anti-inflammatory benefits as well. I highly advise you try adding kale into your diet in any way possible. This soup is the perfect method for those who can’t handle kale’s strong taste when it’s fresh. If you’re not a fan of kale, you may simply replace it with chopped spinach or Swiss chard.

Are you wondering what pink salt is? Well, it’s one of the only salts I use at home. Yes, it’s literally pink in color, but not drenched in any added color dyes of course. I highly recommend that my clients and you alike, only use unrefined salts, like Celtic sea salt or Himalayan Pink Salt. There are many more options of unrefined salts as well that you may find in a supermarket near you. Himalayan Pink Salt is in its natural form and comes along with over 80 essential minerals and nutrients. It gives food wonderful taste, and no, it won’t color your rice or quinoa pink. I must mention, there are forms of unrefined salt that won’t be pink in color. These are great to use too. The problem with the popular salt sold for less than a dollar is that the majority of the substance in the bottle isn’t just salt, but anti-caking chemicals, dextrose, and additives to preserve it as well. These salts are processed, bleached, and evidently stripped of all the wonderful nutrients and minerals found in salt, naturally. These are the salts that aren’t good for your blood pressure and probably found in many of the packaged junk food items out there. Avoid this type of table salt and add unrefined salt to your kitchen pantry.

Apart being a wonderful protein source, chicken carries vitamins and minerals you cannot simply obtain from a plant based diet. Chicken is an excellent source of vitamin B3, selenium, vitamin B6, phosphorus, and choline. Chicken carries cardiovascular benefits, and purchasing certified organic chicken will increase the omega-3 fatty acids.

Turmeric increases the anti-inflammatory benefits in this delicious soup, and personally I love the color hue it gives, too. Add more turmeric to your meals, as it’s great for you in many ways. It aids in proper digestion, has anti-cancer properties, carries anti-inflammatory agents, and is great for your heart, too. The cloves in this recipe also aid in digestion, and are in fact high in vitamin K and fiber. Best of all though, just two teaspoons of cloves carry more than your daily value of manganese. It’s incredible! Ginger is one of my favorite spices and aids in digestion, stomach discomfort, colds, and much more.

What’s not to like about this soup? It gives a punch of nutrients from every angle, and provides you with the perfect combination of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and great taste!

Ingredients:

5 cups homemade bone-broth

1 tablespoon turmeric

2 tablespoons Himalayan Pink Salt

6 cloves, whole

1 teaspoon ground ginger

4 cups organic frozen kale, chopped

6 carrots, chopped

Chicken deboned (from a whole chicken)

1 cup barley, soaked overnight (to make this gluten-free use organic brown rice, millet, or quinoa)

Directions:

1. Place bone broth, water, and all ingredients in a pressure cooker.
2. Cook on high for 20-25 minutes.
3. Turn off heat. Allow pressure to release before opening the pot.
4. Serve warm.

Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, Sunnah Superfoods, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.

18-13