So as I was experimenting in the kitchen with my long list of anti inflammatory foods and I came up with this soup. Here is a list of some of the anti inflammatory foods that I incorporated in there:

Beans of all kinds are anti inflammatory and they are digested slowly by the body so they are great for sustained energy as well as weight loss.
Carrots are a great food all around. Tons of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene! They are a great addition to soups.
Spinach (and kale) are two of the most nutrient rich foods on the planet!
Zucchini is also an anti inflammatory food and as long as it’s organic it isn’t a genetically modified food.
Tomatoes are another powerhouse of a food. So good in so many ways due to the lycopene they contain. You can eat them raw, cooked, canned, diced, or on top of your favorite pasta.

And let’s not forget the olive oil used to saute the veggies. And the onion and garlic all of which have great healing properties.

This soup is very mild in it’s taste which is sure to please many different pallets, especially kids. So whether you want to reduce inflammation in your body or just have a really great bowl of hot soup, this is your recipe!

Mediterranean Spinach, Cannellini Bean and Barley Soup

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Ingredients

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2 Tablespoons good quality olive oil
1 cup carrots, diced (1 large or 2 small)
1 cup onion, diced (1 small)
1 cup celery, chopped (2 stalks)
1 small zucchini, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
64 oz. vegetable stock (about 1 ½ boxes or homemade)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (preferably no salt)
¾ cup small pearl barley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
½ cup parsley (stems included)
3–4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Crumbled Feta cheese for topping before serving

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Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the carrots, onion and celery and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another minute more. Add the zucchini.
Stir in the vegetable broth, tomatoes, barley, oregano, thyme, bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. This will depend on if your veg broth is low sodium as well as the diced tomatoes.
Stir to combine and lay the parsley on top of the soup. Bring it just to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the parsley and bay leaf.
Stir in the lemon juice and spinach.
Cook for another 10 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and the barley is soft.