Vegan Recipes

This is one of my favourites, I've made it a 100 times and I always stuff myself silly on it along with a piece of crusty bread. Definitely an autumn/winter soup. It's sometimes nice to split half the spinach with kale once in a while (cut up the kale fairly small, and leave to sit for 5 minutes after cutting, but before cooking).

Chick-Pea and Spinach Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
1 potato, cut in chunks (I leave the peel on, but it's optional)
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp each minced fresh parsley and cilantro
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried ground coriander
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) chick-peas, drained and rinsed
Half pkg (10oz/284g) fresh spinach, trimmed and chopped

1. In a large and heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat; saute onions for 3-5 minutes or until softened, add garlic in last 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add potato; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, marjoram and dried coriander. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potato is very tender. Stir in chick-peas.

3. In food processor in batches or using an immersion blender in saucepan, puree just until chickpeas are coarse; return to pan.

(Note that the cookbook failed to mention: if using a food processor or blender, the soup has to be somewhat cooled, or it explodes. An immersion blender is easier and less cleanup is always good in my book).

4. Return to a simmer and add spinach, fresh parsley and fresh cilantro. Makes 6 servings... 3 if you're a pig like I am and love soup.

Sometimes I add a wee hint of cumin as well.

Recipe adapted from Canadian Living's Best Vegetarian Dishes

Notes from the recipe page: Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as this Portuguese soup get high marks for health. Other greens such as collards or Swiss chard can replace the spinach. The chick-peas are a rich source of fiber.

Per serving: about: 155 calories, 4 g fat, high source of fibre, 6 g protein, 25 g carbohdrate