Ingredients:

1 lb. bonless sirloin steak
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 Tbls. dried basil, crushed
1 Tbls. vegetable oil
1 C quick-cooking barley
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
1 C packaged peeled fresh baby carrots bias sliced
1 C low sodium beef broth
Small, fresh basil leaves (optional)


Directions:

Cut steak into 1/2-inch pieces. In shallow dish combine flour, basil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. black pepper and meat and toss to coat.

In 4 to 5-quart Dutch Oven heat oil over medium-high heat. Add meat; cook until browned on all sides. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Stir in barley, tomatoes, (do not drain), carrots, beef broth and 3 C water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and top with fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.

The "Ham and Pea" Soup sounded good to me but this is the one I'm going to try since I can't have ham on my low sodium diet. I can't find "No Salt Added" diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano so could I just use NSA diced tomatoes and add some dried basil, garlic and oregano to it?

Good morning, JP. Yes, there really is a "No Salt Added" variety of diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, garlic and etc. I just bought two cans of them on Friday when I was at the market. It's a Hunt's product - I usually find them in the aisle with the tomato paste, sauce and so forth. Good luck. This soup is so good and heart healthy, too. I'm sure the way you suggest would also work and be equally delicious. Katie

There is a big difference between Hampton and the little quaint town in North Louisiana that I live in. I'm lucky to find just the NSA "No Salt Added" plain diced tomatoes here. I have a lot of my low sodium condiments shipped from Heart Healthy Market. Some have said I shop at the Fed-Ex Store. Our tomato sauce aisle has never seen the flavored diced tomatoes but I'm sure I can flavor it up a little. Thanks for the recipe Katie.

Just as a matter of interest, Hampton, New Hampshire is referred to as being "on the left side going!!" Blink, and you've driven through our great downtown area. But we are fortunate to be sandwiched in between Boston, MA and Portsmouth, N.H. where "the action" seems to be. Do you have any access to New Orleans? Beyond that, how about a place like Sam's Club or big discount warehouses of that nature? You're quite apt to find odd things like tinned vegetables with herbs in them and weird spices and the like. Happy hunting. In the meantime, doing things the "old fashioned" way - adding the herbs and spices yourself, gives you a greater range of choice you don't necessarily have with the tinned things. Good luck and happy, lip-smacking cooking! Personally, I've loved numerous of the recipes you've sent in over time. I was thinking just this morning, wondering how our grandparents got along without all the modern conveniences we're so dependent on. Many of the recipes I treasure from my Mum were things made without the use of electric mixers, microwaves, food processors and that genre......and they always tasted wonderful when they were cooked on or baked in the old wood-burning ahgah my grandmother cooked on. Often better than I can reproduce with my new-fangled electric stove!! KM