Tuscan Chickpea Soup Food

TUSCAN CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• Soak dried garbanzo beans in water to cover overnight.
• Rinse and inspect the beans and set aside.
• In a skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and onion and cook of 10 minutes stirring frequently.
• Put the onion mixture, garbanzo beans, and next 5 ingredients in your crockpot.
• Simmer in the crockpot for 2 to 4 hours.
• (I will start this on low in the morning, and turn up the heat when I come home for lunch).
• To make the soup thicker, blend 4 cups of the soup in a blender, 1 cup at a time (very carefully, this is hot soup!) then place all 4 cups back into the soup.
• Stir in the balsamic vinegar and let the soup simmer another 15 minutes.
• (this is the perfect time to throw together a salad).
• Place the soup in bowls (1 1/2 cups for 6 servings) and sprinkle with parmesan (1 tbs).

TUSCAN CHICK PEA TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Add first 4 ingredients and half the tomatoes & chickpeas to a pot and bring to light boil.
• Blend with hand blender or regular blender and place back onto stove top.
• Stir in the reserved ingredients and cook until thoroughly heated. Enjoy!
• **Vitamix directions: Place all ingredients, except the reserved ingredients, into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid. Select Variable 1. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High. Blend for 6-7 minutes or until heavy steam escapes from the vented lid.
• Reduce speed to Variable 4 and remove the lid plug. Add the remaining reserved ingredients through the lid plug opening. Blend for an additional 10 seconds.