1 cup lentils
6 cups bouillon
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch cayenne, or to taste
1/2 t. oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup bulgur (see note), or one cup of any cooked whole grain such as barley or brown rice
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 28-oz. can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 lb. spinach, torn in pieces
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring the lentils and bouillon to a boil in a large pot and cook 20 minutes, or until they are just barely tender. Add the onions, garlic, seasonings, bulghar, parsley and tomatoes and simmer 20-30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Put the spinach on top of the soup, cover the pot and simmer just until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir the spinach into the soup and serve with ground pepper to taste.
6-8 servings
Note: Bulgur is cracked wheat seeds that have been pre-cooked and dried. It takes only 10 minutes or so to cook, or you can soften it by soaking in water or bouillon for use in salads.
