Herby Vegetable Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

cooking spray
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup quick-cooking pearl barley
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 bouquet garni
pepper
2/3 cup low-fat milk
1 tablespoon fresh herb, such as parsley chives and oregano
2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt

Preparation

Heat a large pan and spray with cooking oil. Add onion, carrots, celery and potato. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Rinse pearl barley, then add to the pan together with the stock and bouquet garni and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes, until veggies are tender. Discard the bouquet garni, stir in milk and heat for 3 minutes (gently). STir in chopped fresh herbs and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Add a bit of yogurt to each bowl before serving.
***NOTES****.
If you're not worried about a vegetarian vegetable soup, use chicken stock.
Bouquet garni can be substituted for 3 stalks parsley, 1 sprig thyme and 1 bay leaf.
I substitute pearl barley for quick cooking, but cook time needs to be increased to 30-35ish minutes.