White Bean Barley Vegetable Soup

• 8 ounces dried white beans (great northern, cannellini, navy)
• 1 cup uncooked barley (hulled or pearl)
• 1 large russet potato, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 4 ounces mushrooms, quartered and sliced
• 8 -10 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
• 1 tablespoon instant minced garlic
• 2 -3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried chipotle powder (optional)
• salt and pepper

1. Pick over / rinse the dried beans, and add them to the slow cooker crock pot.
2. Cover them with about 6 cups of water.
3. Add the minced onion, minced garlic and bay leaves.
4. Set the slow cooker to "Low" and cook overnight or about 6 hours.
5. In the morning or when done, pour the beans into a colander and rinse.
6. Try to preserve the minced garlic / onion if possible, but pick out the bay leaves.
7. Return the beans to the pot, and add in the remainder of the ingredients, making sure to stir thoroughly.
8. Set the slow cooker to "High" and cook approximately 6 hours, again.
9. Stir and check on the soup every 2 hours if possible, and add more broth or lower heat to "Low" if necessary.

white beans, barley, russet potato, carrots, celery, mushrooms, vegetable broth, fresh parsley, onion flakes, garlic, bay leaves, chipotle powder, salt

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/white-bean-barley-vegetable-soup-494114 (may not work)