Thickest Barley Stew You Will Ever Eat

I brought a few things from home in case I couldnt find them here. I brought quinoa, barley, and bulgar. One the back of the barley package there was a recipe for a soup. I was feeling more stewy.

Vegetable Barley Stew
2 to 3 cups vegetable cream based soup
1/4 cup pearled barley
handful of mushrooms, sliced
2 large carrots, sliced
half onion, sliced
1 really large clove of garlic or like 3 small ones

1. In a heavy bottom saucepan bring 1/4 cup barley and like 2 cups of veggie soup to boil ( by veggie soup I mean like a cream based thick soup, not clear veggie stock). Cover and simmer for about an hour or until the barley is soft. Stir often. If you decide to use veggie stock to make it more of a soup and less of a stew, you wont need to stir really, just like once or twice, but with cream based stuff it will all stick to the bottom if you don't stir it a bit. It will seem at first that you dont have enough barley and the stew will be thin. Never fear, it grows!
2. While this is going on prepare and saute you veggies. I like to do the garlic first, then add the onions, then add the other stuff.
3. Once the barley is soft, add the veggies and heat it all through.
4. Serve with crusty french bread or throw some avocado on top.

PS I ate this for 3 days and didnt get tired of it. I ate it cold the second two times because i dont have a microwave. Both times I ate it with half an avocado chopped up. Great.