Recipe: Vegetable Chickpea Soup

This soup is perfect for the transition between winter and spring. It's on the lighter side of things, but is still comforting and warm while you wait for the weather to make up it's mind. It all comes together quickly without any sacrifice in flavor thanks to homemade broth. If you still haven't tried to make slow cooker stock, you gotta do it! It's super easy, requires very little active time, and is a great way to stretch your food dollars. Plus, it tastes amazing and gives this fast dinner the flavor of something that's been cooking away all day long.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced (avoid onion tears with this tip)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb carrots, sliced on a bias

4 large ribs of celery and their greens, chopped

28 ounce canned diced tomatoes

1.5 cups cooked chickpeas

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

10-12 cups homemade vegetable or chicken broth (I usually end up with around 11 cups when I make slow-cooker stock)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add garlic to the pot and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
3. Add carrots and stir to incorporate. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Repeat with celery.
4. Add chickpeas, thyme, salt, pepper, and tomatoes and stir to distribute all of the ingredients evenly. Add vegetable or chicken broth to the pot and cover.
5. Bring the soup to a boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer until the vegetable are crisp tender, about 15 minutes. Be sure to stir the soup well when serving, so all of the chickpeas don't end up at the bottom of your pot.

If you make this, be sure to send me a picture on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! And don't forget to share it with your friends!

NNMC Increase Produce: Make Soup

Making soup is an easy way to get more veggies in your life that can be tailored to fit any taste. With a great recipe or a little creativity of your own, you can whip up something that can be satisfying as a meal, a side/starter, or even a snack. One of the best parts about soups is there are no rules. You can add in whatever ingredients you have on hand or use up food that you don't think you'll be able to eat before it spoils.If you make a big batch, you can freeze the leftovers and have your delicious soup whenever you want a no-fuss lunch or didn't make it to the store and have nothing to cook for dinner. This is also a great place to use any homemade stock. So go make some soup and enjoy the yummy results!