Acorns soup

Acorns adult and Child's soup recipe, which has been passed down from Kindergarten to Acorns, not quite modified or re-adapted, but rather changed and slightly distorted, as in a recipe Chinese Whisper!
It has never been written down, by us in Acorns, nor Greenwich Steiner School, as far as I know! I am sure there is a recipe in one of the Steiner books somewhere...

I am slightly reluctant writing this down, so I do it with the knowledge that you understand 
two things: it will be similar but never exaclty the same as Susannah's soup, now, Gity's soup,
and for this reason, each soup is unique and the product of one or two or more kitchen fairies! 
The second thing is that this is an ever changing and quite flexible recipe as it needs to change according to the season and ingredients available!

I have one rule of my own: I do not put nightshades in with the exception of an occasional potato or tomato, but for sure, never aubergines and mushrooms. I simply do not like them in a soup! Perhaps sauteed or grilled but not swimming in broth! It's a personal thing!

​So, for the Acorns soup there are different options: with grains added at the beginning or at the end; this depends on how long the grain needs cooking.

As for quantities, this soup fills the pot and it is a sharing soup, I do not 
measure anything and it should feed the whole group - avarage number of people, 15!

Barley and vegetable 
soup:

Sautee 1 onion in sunflower oil
Add  pearl barley - about one cup
stir and 
add 2 chopped carrots, 
add a bit of water and a bay leaf
add root vegetables such as half a swede, cubed
turnips,
a parsnip, sliced/chopped or cubed
add some golden beetroot
or some butternut squash
and/or some sweet potato
all root vegetables cut small
stir
add more water
cook for 15 minutes
add some more water
add leeks, sliced
maybe add greens such as kale, cabbage cut or shredded small
parsley
marigold boullion, I like the orange top one or the purple-reduced salt- 
about one large tablespoon
switch off and cover with lid
serve after about 10 minutes, so is cooler for little mouths!