Lunch: Slow-Cooker Beefy Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup

Beef-flavored broth is the robust base for a full-flavored soup loaded with beef, mushrooms and barley.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Barley

Health and fertility benefits of Slow-Cooker Beefy Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup

Barley is about the best grain a woman with PCOS can eat. It is low in calories and has the lowest GI of all grains. Low-GI grains such as barley take much longer to digest and create a slow, steady rise in blood glucose and insulin levels. As mentioned before on Fertility Chef, low-GI foods reduce cravings. If possible, try and find hulled barley as it is the most nutrient dense of all types of barley.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb boneless beef bottom round steak, trimmed of fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
5 cups sliced assorted fresh wild mushrooms, such as portabella, shiitake, oyster and/or porcini (about 10 oz total)
3 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 leeks, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed and sliced crosswise (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
5 1/4 cups Progresso™ beef flavored broth (from two 32-oz cartons)
1/2 cup dry sherry or Progresso™ beef flavored broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix ingredients.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours. Stir well before serving.

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