Wholesome Chunky Vegetable Soup - Cooking Inspired

Is there such a thing as a bad soup?  If so, I have not found it unless you want to count some of the over salted soup served at some weddings.  Salt is supposed to bring out the flavor, not cover it up, yet I have had soups that tasted like pure salt with a hint of flavor.

Wholesome Chunky Vegetable Soup - Cooking Inspired cookbook  - Estee Kafra

Ingredients:

2 medium onions, diced
2 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut in chunks
6 stalks celery, cut in chunks
6 large carrots, cut in chunks
1 pepper (any color - I used red), seeded and cut in chunks
2 parsnips, cut into chunks
12 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup minced fresh dill (or 3 cubes or 1 Tbsp dried dill)
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained - Hubby can't have the gluten
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 19-oz can baked beans

Method:

Place all cubed vegetables in the slow cooker and let cook on high for about 1 hour. Add the broth, plus more water if necessary to cover all the vegetables, along with dill, barley, red lentils, salt, and pepper.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, until vegetables are tender.

Add the baked beans about 20 minutes before serving.

I was tempted to blend this until it was smooth but hubby had requested a soup with veggies floating around.  It was good.  The parsnips and sweet potato gave it a bit of sweetness that added to the more generalized flavors.

Linked to: See Ya at the Gumbo                  Treasure Box Tuesday        Fat Tuesday       Hearth and Soul Hop       Real Food Recipe Round Up    In and Out of the Kitchen     Tuesday’s Table     Simple Supper