Crock Pot Beef and Wheat Berry Soup

I know my blog description says "A new recipe daily," and I promise I have a good excuse for a few days' absence. I was at the Sundance Film Festival watching the premiere of The Internet's Own Boy, partially funded by my boss Charlie Annenberg. When the film becomes readily available, I highly recommend you watch it - Aaron Swartz was a brilliant person whose life ended far too soon, and the film by Brian Knappenberger was incredibly well done.

I had a lot of good food while I was in Park City, UT, but I missed cooking at home. Since I returned to Los Angeles with a stuffy nose and sore throat (thanks LAX), I was really craving some soup today.

I always see red wheat berry recipes for salads, but never stews or soups. I hadn't even heard of red wheat berries up until a year ago, at which point I had to google photos of them in order to locate them at the grocery store:

Just look at those sexy wheat berries. You know you want them. You know you're tired of the quinoa trend. Just give in to the red wheat berry. 

(Ingredients)
6 cups beef broth
1 lb stew beef, cubed (I used Eye Round Roast)
1 onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup of chopped crimini mushrooms
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cup red wheat berries

I always sear my stewing beef before putting it into the slow cooker. You don't have to do this, but here is a good argument for why it is a delicious choice.

I know why being a vegetarian or vegan is a health-conscious and morally commendable choice, but damn, steak is delicious. 

After you sear your stewing beef on high heat on the stovetop, put it into your crock pot along with the chopped onion, garlic, parsley, mushrooms, carrots, bay leaves, red wheat berries, and beef broth. Flip the crock pot on "low" for 7 to 8 hours or "high" for 4 to 5 hours. When your broth has heated up to a simmer, add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir it in. 

Yum - I think my cold is subsiding already.