Hearty Vegetable Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. uncooked barley
5 c. total any combination of cut up fresh vegetables*
9 c. water
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
3 c. canned tomatoes in puree
1 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

*Such as carrots, summer squash, celery, zucchini, cabbage and mushrooms.