Smokey Chickpea Tomato Soup

Oy its a cold one today!  At least we aren't having the snow storm like our friends east and south of us...

Recently a client who I am counselling about improving her health told me she and her fiancé made soup together for the first time, rather than buying it, and they couldn't believe how easy it is.  It is...really!

In fact, here are 3 reasons you should make soup instead of buying it:

1. Healthier - Not only is the soup you buy usually full of salt, but it often also has added sugars and starches, not to mention weird preservatives.  The canned kind also contains BPA...blech!

2. Cheaper - The good quality soups can be $10/litre!  Making your own is much, much more economical!!

3. Efficient - Its hard to make a small quantity of soup.  Make tons and then eat all week, or freeze for future meals.

This soup is very warming from the smoked paprika, cumin and the kick of cayenne, if you can stand the heat!  You can replace the chickpeas with black beans if you wish, and swap out the zucchini for another veggie like spinach, kale, okra, carrots, etc.

Smokey Chickpea Tomato Soup

1/2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
4 zucchini, diced
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
2 cups passata (strained tomatoes)
1 litre salt-free vegetable stock
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Optional: Toss zucchini with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast on foil-lined baking sheet at 400F for 30 minutes.  If you want to skip this step, just add zucchini to soup pot with onion.

Pour oil into large soup pot over medium heat and saute onion, garlic and spices.  Add chickpeas, roasted zucchini, vinegar, diced tomatoes, passata and stock.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add lemon and cilantro just before serving.  Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 4 days or freeze.

This recipe has been shared with Urban Naturale's Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop and Vegetarian Mamma's Gluten-Free Friday.