Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup with Barley

1 dried bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed

1 1/2 cups ready-to-eat baby-cut carrots, halved crosswise

1 cup sliced celery (2 medium stalks)

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (1/2 medium)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large dark-orange sweet potato, peeled, cubed

1 1/2 cups Green Giant® Niblets® frozen corn (from 1-lb bag)

1 1/2 cups Green Giant® frozen cut green beans (from 1-lb bag)

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cans (14 oz each) vegetable broth

6 cups water

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained