Sunshine Soup with Mushrooms

 

Not all children love mushrooms, but if you are a parent of a fussy eater, chop your mushrooms very finely. You can serve mushrooms to children over three years old, provided, of course, that they do not have allergies to mushrooms. Choose the freshest mushrooms with closed caps. Some recipes recommend using canned tomatoes, but I strongly advise against giving canned foods to children because can lining contains phthalate BPA, a well-known endocrine disruptor.

 

2 T. olive oil

2 medium leeks

2 C. button mushrooms

2 tomatoes

1/2 C. red lentils

1/2 C. pearl barley

Fresh dill, to garnish

 

Trim, halve, wash and thinly slice the leeks. Chop the mushrooms finely. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks and mushroom. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes. Cut tomatoes in quarters and slice the skin off the flesh using sharp knife. Alternatively, splash the tomato with boiling water and quickly place them into a pan of ice cold water. The skin should be easy to remove. Add skinless tomatoes to the pan with leeks and mushrooms and stir well. Add lentils, barley and the stock to the pan. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 5 to 40 minutes or until barley is tender. Ladle into bowls. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped dill and whole meal croutons.