Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Ingredients

For the Soup:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups carrots, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped, including some leaves
• 8 cups chicken broth, fat free, reduced sodium
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

For the Dumplings:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 1 egg, large

Directions

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium-high heat.
2. Sauté carrot, onion and celery for 5 minutes; stir in broth, chicken, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaves.
3. Reduce heat to low; simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix dumpling ingredients until well blended.
5. Drop small spoonsful of dumpling dough into simmering soup.
6. Cover soup and allow dumplings to cook for about 20 minutes (they will rise to the top of the soup as they cook).
7. Stir in spinach.
8. Remove bay leaves before serving soup.