Best Ever Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrot
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 (8-ounce) package pre-sliced mushrooms
• 2 lbs. fat-free, less-sodium beef base
• 8-10 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup uncooked pearl barley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tbs. garlic

Directions

1. Brown beef in non-stick fry pan until browned, stirring frequently. Remove beef from pan and place in crockpot, Add carrot, celery, onion, and mushrooms, fat-free, less-sodium beef base, water, garlic and bay leaf. Cook on high heat for one hour, add pearl barley then turn down to low and cook till vegetables and beef are tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.