Barley Jambalaya

I got this recipe from a friend. It’s super yummy – and very healthy! Barley is one of my favorite things! I don’t really measure anything in this recipe. You can use as much or as little of any of the ingredients. Make this to your liking. Jambalaya should be a big party in your soup pot! Tasty, delicious, and good for you.
Ingredients:

1 Onion, chopped
1 Bell pepper, chopped
1 Celery heart, diced
8 oz Mushrooms, rough chop/sliced
2 Zucchini, with skin, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ Tbls Old Bay Seasoning
9 cups water + 4 chicken bouillon cubes (or 4 cups chicken broth + 5 cups water)
Tomatoes, ready-cut 29 oz
1 – 4oz can Tomato paste
1 ½ cup Pearl Barley, pearled
1 can pitted Black Olives, sliced in half lengthwise
1 cup frozen Corn
1lb pkg frozen Green Beans, French style
12 oz pkg Hormel Diced Ham
1 lb cooked frozen shrimp, tail off
Olive Oil

Directions:

Drizzle a little olive oil in a large soup pot. Add onion, celery, mushroom, zucchini and garlic and sauté until just beginning to turn brown.

Add tomatoes, paste, water, chicken broth or chicken bouillon cubes, Old Bay Seasoning and barley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, stir, simmer, covered, for 1 ½ hours.

Just prior to serving, stir in cooked ham, green beans, corn, shrimp and olives. Heat through and serve.

Click here for printable recipe.