Mediterranean Veggie-full Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 20 sprigs cilantro
• 20 sprigs italian parsley
• 8 spanish saffron threads, lightly toasted
• 1/2 cup wheat berries
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans
• 1 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten (optional)
• 2 lemons, juice of (optional)
• cilantro leaf
• lemon wedge
• crusty bread

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in large soup pot over medium-high heat.
• 2 fry onions, stirring occasionally, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes.
• 3 meanwhile, blend tomatoes, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cilantro, parsley and saffron in blender.
• 4 add to onions, cover and bring to rolling boil over high heat.
• 5 lower heat to medium, add wheat berries and broth and cover tightly.
• 6 cook until wheat berries are fairly tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• 7 add lentils and garbanzo beans with liquid.
• 8 cover and cook until lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• 9 ten minutes before serving, lower heat to simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 10 just before serving, beat egg with lemon juice in small bowl and add to soup, stirring with long wooden spoon until mixture forms strands.
• 11 ladle soup into individual soup bowls.
• 12 top with cilantro and serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread.