Beef Barley Soup

This is a recipe I've never made in a single batch. I have always done one or two double batches, because it's a really simple one-pot meal. So great for families that are sick or just had a new baby, it's a standard of mine and one I'm still not sick of.

Beef Barley Soup (adapted from Cooking Light, January 2005)

Ingredients
Cooking spray
~ 2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into small pieces (larger pieces will take longer to become really soft; I prefer pretty small pieces, about 1/2 - 1 inch, but whatever you like will work)
2 teaspoons canola oil (I used a coconut oil)
2 cups chopped leek (about 4 medium; tips for cleaning here) (I switched this up in my last batch with pearl onions, and it was YUMMY)
2 cups chopped carrot
1-2 cups quartered mushrooms (any kind works great)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
~4 springs fresh thyme, leaves stripped (dried thyme also works fine)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 bay leaves
2 (14-ounce) cans beef or vegetable broth (I usually use my homemade vegetable stock which has a nice rich flavor) (I left this out last time and it was still perfect)
1 cup uncooked pearl barley (I used brown rice last time and that was also GREAT. I used about half to three quarters the amount called for because rice puffs up so much more than barley)

Steps
1. Coat pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Add a portion of the beef (don't crowd the pan or else it won't brown), cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef. Remove beef from pan.

2. Heat canola oil in soup pot/dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leek, carrot, mushrooms and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Return beef to pan. Add water and remaining ingredients, except barley. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer approximately 1 hour (the cooking time is different every time I make it). When the beef is almost ready (soft) and the broth is tasty, add barley; cook 30 minutes or until beef and barley are tender. Don't forget to remove bay leaves before serving!