Mushroom Barley Soup

I really like barley and I've been on a bit of a mushroom kick lately, so I loved this soup!  I made a few changes from the original recipe to work with what I had on hand.  It was a delicious hearty soup for a cold day that was just as good for lunch the next day.
  

1 cup barley
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 package white button mushrooms, sliced
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp fresh minced thyme or 1 tsp dried
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium pan, bring 4 cups of water to boil.  Stir in the barley.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the barley is soft and has absorbed most of the liquid.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until soft, about five minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften, another 5 minutes. Add the broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked barley and simmer for at least 15 minutes, or until ready to serve.

Remove the bay leaves before serving. Add salt and pepper to taste.