Tuscan Chickpea Soup Food

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.

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 MASHED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Pour the chickpeas into a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Drain well. Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the chicken stock and pulse until the chickpeas are coarsely pureed.
• In a medium (10-inch) saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tomato is softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chickpeas, stirring to combine with the tomatoes and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and taste for seasonings. Pile in a serving bowl, drizzle with extra olive oil, and serve with shards of grilled country bread.

MOROCCAN SPICED CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
• Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
• Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
• Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.