Herbed New Year’s Soup

Ingredients

• 3 T olive oil
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 5 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 bunch chard , stemmed
• 1 t dry basil
• ½ t dry oregano
• ½ t dry thyme
• 1 T dry sage
• 2 large carrots , medium dice
• 1 large sweet potato , peeled and diced
• 6 C water
• ½ C barley
• 2½ C kidney beans , cooked
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• mellow white miso to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and garlic and sauté 5 minutes, or until onion is transparent.
2. Chop Chard stems crosswise into 1/4-inch thick ribs and add to onions along with dried herbs. Finely dice chard leaves and add to mixture. Sauté 5 minutes.
3. Add carrots and sweet potatoes and sauté 2 minutes longer. Sprinkle with barley and add water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30-40 minutes, until veggies are tender.
4. Add beans and bring back up to a boil. Remove from heat. Grind pepper over soup and let cool 15 min- utes. Stir in miso to taste, about 1/3 - 1/2 cup. Serve with a nice, dense bread.