Italian Chickpea and Vegetable Soup

There's nothing better than a hot bowl of soup on a snowy west coast day!

This soup is healthy, easy to make, and delicious! The Italian herbs offer loads of flavour while the nutrient-dense chickpeas and veg provide fiber and protein. This is definitely a soup you'll want to add to your lunch or dinner rotation!

Ingredients:

1 - onion, diced

2 - carrots, diced

4 - celery stalks, diced

4 - cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp - olive oil

1 tbsp - sugar (optional)

1 can - diced tomatoes

3 - bay leaves

2 tsp each - oregano, thyme, and basil

1 can - chickpeas, rinsed

1.5 cups - dry small shaped pasta

4 cups - bone or vegetable broth (your choice)

4 cups - water

parmesan cheese for topping

Method:

1. Gently cook the onion, carrots, and celery in the olive oil in a large pot until al dente, about 20 minutes. Stir frequently. If they start to stick, add a small amount of water.

2. Add the garlic, herbs, diced tomatoes, chickpeas, and optional sugar. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently.

3. Add the stock and water and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta noodles in a separate pot.

4. Drain your noodles and scoop a portion into your bowl. Top with the soup and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Enjoy!

TIP: If you are planning on serving the entire soup right away then you can cook the noodles directly in the soup for the last 10 or so minutes, rather than on their own. However, if you don't plan on eating it all right away the noodles will soak up the remaining broth and you'll be left with a pasta dish instead.