Mushroom Barley Soup and Roasted Parsnips with Rosemary

My dear friend got me a subscription for "Everday Food" Magazine earlier this year for my birthday, so that's the inspiration for tonight's dinner: Mushroom Barley Soup and Roasted Parsnips.

The roasted parsnips were a surprise delight, somewhere between a radish and a potato--a ratato! These roasted parsnips were almost like a baked french fry fake out and were quite tasty with a hint of spicy bite to them.The outside of the roasted parsnip gets nice and caramelized with a slightly crunchy crust and a creamy, soft inside similar to a baked french fry.  I would definitely make these roasted parsnips again.  They would be a good side dish for a veggie burger!

The mushroom barley soup had a wonderful earthiness that was so hearty and satisfying.  The barley was nice and nutty like brown rice. I am definitely making this again because it was super fast and easy to throw together, especially because I had some barley already cooked and cooled in the fridge.  I try to keep a container of barley in the fridge all week so I can use it for barley salads, soups or hashes. Barley has become my new go-to recipe star ingredient to experiment with in hot and cold dishes.  Barley is so versatile and it travels well for lunches, which I need so I can stay on track at work.

Roasted Parsnips

2 Parsnips, peeled and cut into sticks in an oven fry fashion
1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Toss ingredients together to coat and season the parsnips.
Heat oven to 400 F and roast for 10 minutes, turn parsnips and continue cooking 10 more minutes. Optional: salt parsnips lightly when you pull them out of the oven.

Mushroom Barley Soup

1 package of button mushrooms, sliced
1 package cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped
4 cups or 1 carton vegetable stock
2 cups cooked barley (can add another cup if soup looks too thin, I just eyeballed it)
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
Salt and Pepper

Saute mushrooms on medium heat in coconut oil until they get soft. Add onions, garlic and thyme, salt and pepper. Add vegetable stock and turn heat up to high. Add barley and bring to a boil. *I added a teaspoon of soy sauce just to give it a little added depth of flavor, but not so much that it overpowered the soup.  Lower to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. This should serve 2 people or 4 if the bowls are small, although I had seconds, so it depends on how hungry you are!