Quick veggie and barley soup

Rinse off barley or Job's tears, then put in a sauce pan and cover with water by a few inches. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 45 minutes or so (I cook the grain separately so it doesn't absorb all the liquid in the soup).

In a bowl, dissolve the stock cube in the 1/2 liter of water and set aside.

In large sauce pan, saute the celery, onion, and carrots in the olive oil over medium heat.

When the veggie mix is softened, add in the stock, tomato paste, and celery seeds. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer.

After ten minutes, add the dill and the corn starch slurry. Stir to make sure the slurry is thoroughly mixed.

Let the soup simmer another ten minutes or so until it achieves desired consistency (mine was thickened just a bit - runny but not watery).

Remove from heat and season to taste.

When barley/Job's tears are done (should be mostly soft, maybe a little al dente), strain to eliminate excess water and then add to the soup. Reheat if necessary and serve.