My Slow Cooker Cookbooklet
OK, so its the day before Thanksgiving and the pace of things is starting to ramp up. You can feel it when you head out to the store, the frantic energy is contagious. I choose not to participate in this insanity. November and December are the darkest months of the year, the days continue to shorten until the Winter Solstice on Dec 21st. Take a look around at all of nature, it is slowing down. We should be too.
I’ll be discussing this concept in greater detail all during the month of December. 30 days of soup is plenty, next month I’ll be sharing 31 Healthy Hints for the Holidays. Or Holidaze as it may be.
So for today, stay home, chill out and plug in your slow cooker and make this nice Chickpea Soup. It’s part of my Slow Cooker Cookbooklet that I published last year. You can buy one by clicking here.
For those who don’t own a slow cooker, you can easily make this soup on the stove top. It will take less time than the slow cooker but a bit more attention.
Whichever way you do it, stay home. Make some soup. Relax. Enjoy.
Tuscan Chickpea Soup
2 1/2 cups dried garbanzo beans or 3 -15 ounces cans chickpeas
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water or additional vegetable stock
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 -15 ounce can diced tomatoes undrained
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
If you’re using dried beans, soak the dried garbanzo beans in water to cover overnight. Rinse and inspect the beans and set aside.
If you’re using canned beans, try to get Eden Foods brand, their cans are BPA free.
In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat; add the garlic and onion and cook for 5-10 minutes stirring frequently.
Put the onion mixture, garbanzo beans, and next 5 ingredients in your slow cooker. Simmer for 2 to 4 hours. (You can start this on low in the morning, and turn up the heat when you come home in the afternoon).
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. OR, just use an immersion blender in the pot of 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 and serve.
