This is the recipe I use for minestroni soup, cooked in a slow cooker. There are a few things you can serve with it, a dollop of pesto is good, fresh buttered bread, toasted pitas sprinkled with olive oil and cumin, shaved parmesan or garlic bread are all favourites. It's good on it's own too

1 cup barley
1 x 800g tin chopped tomatoes, or several chopped fresh tomatoes.
1 onion, diced.
4 cloves garlic, crushed.
4-6 cups vegetables, chopped into even sizes.
(I use pumpkin, brocolli, potato, sweet potato, carrot, green beans, capsicum, zucchini etc).
1/2 tsp cumin
salt & pepper
fresh or dried oregano, marjoram & rosemary.
& enough vegetable stock to fill the slow cooker 3/4 full (or you can use stock powder & boiling water)

I combine all these in the slow cooker (which is 3.5L) and cook on low for 8 hours.