+GF +QP
For such a simple broth, this soup is incredibly rich in flavor, blending sweet cinnamon with spicy cumin. Packed with protein from the chickpeas and vitamins A and K from the fresh spinach, this soup is a powerhouse of nutrients and good-for-you ingredients. But the best part? It’ll warm you up from the inside out and keep you content all day. —AS
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 tbsp (14 g) coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 (15-oz [425-g]) cans chickpeas, or about 6 cups (984 g) cooked chickpeas, drained
1 (15-oz [425-g]) can diced tomatoes (about 2 cups [400 g])
4 cups (945 ml) vegetable broth
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 packed cups (150 g) fresh spinach
Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
In a soup pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the onions are softened and slightly translucent. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, vegetable broth and spices. Stir to combine, and simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes. While simmering, wash your fresh spinach and roughly chop it into bite-size pieces. When the 40 minutes are up, taste a bite and check the tenderness of the chickpeas. They should be soft, with a slight toothiness when bitten. If they’re still a little firm, throw the soup on for another 10 minutes to soften them up. Once the soup is ready to be served, add your spinach and stir, letting the heat wilt the spinach. Serve immediately with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Note: If you throw all the spinach in and don’t eat it all, don’t fret. The soup can be refrigerated and the spinach will still taste great, it will just have lost its bright green color and be considerably softer. Whenever I reheat this soup, I throw in another handful of fresh spinach to give it a little more body.