Good Friday Bean Soup with Dumplings

This soup is traditionally served on Good Friday in Orthodox churches. It is customary to eat boiled lentil soup, which represents the tears of Virgin Mary under the Cross. The soup also utilizes the sour of vinegar/or lemon juice, because the soldiers offered vinegar on a sponge when He was on the Cross. Traditions aside, the soup is delicious and very satisfying as well as loaded with Superfoods.

Soup Ingredients:

1 c. lentils, washed and picked over
1 16 oz. can, undrained of each: kidney beans, navy beans, butter beans, and baby lima beans
(I substitute a variety of beans, but not black beans, as it makes the soup look an odd color)
4 qts. water or chicken broth
1 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. parsley, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup lemon juice

Place lentils and broth in large pot. Boil for 30 minutes. Add canned beans (with liquid). In a large skillet saute onions, parsley, and garlic with some of the oil until onions are golden brown. With rest of oil, add to bean mixture. Cover and cook gently for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For Dumplings:

1 c. bulgur wheat, washed and squeezed dry
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. water

Mix dumpling ingredients together, adding small amounts of water if dough is too stiff. Add lemon juice to the beans. Add dumplings dropped from the tip of a teaspoon or the small end of a melon ball scooper. Boil until dumplings are done, about 20-25 minutes.