Beef And Barley Soup

• Cooking spray
• 2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 cups chopped leek (about 4 medium)
• 2 cups chopped carrot
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 (14-ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
• 1 cup uncooked pearl barley

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of beef; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef.
2. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add leek, carrot, and garlic; saute 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Return beef to pan. Add water and next 5 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Add barley; cook 30 minutes or until beef and barley are tender. Discard bay leaves.

cooking spray, beef stew meat, canola oil, carrot, garlic, water, salt, thyme, freshly ground black pepper, bay leaves, beef broth, pearl barley

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/beef-barley-soup (may not work)