Moroccan Chickpea Lentil Soup: Vegan and Gluten Free

This soup is as satisfying as any stew, and gets thicker as it sits in the fridge. You can thin it out when you reheat it, or use it as a stew and serve it over brown rice and greens for a full meal. The warming spices of Moroccan food will sweep you away into comfort-land (yes, that’s a real place found only with soup in hand).  There is fact behind that feeling. The warming of the spices improves circulation, and aides in healing.  The lentils and chickpeas are both great sources of fiber and protein.  You can’t ask for more from this one dish wonder!

We don’t feel veggies need to be sauteed in oil when making a soup. We throw everything in and cook together. This omits the need for added fats and empty calories, while making your cooking time shorter. Win, win!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup celery
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup onion
• 2 cups of lentils, rinsed to remove debris
• 1 28 oz can of stewed tomatoes (we use a quart of our own canned tomatoes)
• 6 cups of water
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of cayenne (or more to taste)
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 cups of cooked chick peas (washed and drained-if using canned, this is about 1 can)
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• *optional: fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients excepts chick peas and garlic into a soup pot
2. Bring to boil, and reduce to simmer
3. Cook until lentils have softened (about 30 minutes)
4. Using a stick blender, puree soup to desired consistency (this will thicken the soup)
5. Add in chick peas and garlic and heat until warmed. We add the garlic in at the end to maximize it’s health benefits. If cooked too long, its benefits are reduced.
6. If soup is too thick, add additional water to thin to desired consistency
7. Serve or freeze. Freezes well, up to 6 months

Nutritional Benefits:

• Great source of fiber: helps to maintain blood sugar levels and improve digestive health and function, reduces cholesterol, keeps you feeling full longer
• High in protein: great for healing and repairing tissues
• Vegan and gluten free: great for reducing inflammation
• No added fats: heart healthy
• Tomatoes: great source of lycopene an antioxidant which has been shown to help with bone strength and improve osteoporosis, also high in Vitamin C; antioxidant that improves immune health/function, benefits of tomatoes increase with cooking unlike most foods
• Packed with Vitamin C: 242% of daily needs in entire recipe; great for immune health and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
• Packed with Vitamin A: 387% of daily needs in entire recipe; great for bone, dental, skin and eye health, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant
• Packed with iron (238%): helps oxygenation of blood and circulation
• Potassium 3084 mg in entire recipe: lowers blood pressure, risk of strokes and other forms of heart disease, strengthens bones and prevents bone loss

5.0 from 1 reviews

Moroccan Chickpea Lentil Soup: Vegan and Gluten Free

 

Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Moroccan Chickpea Lentil Soup: Vegan and Gluten Free

Author: www.gardenfreshfoodie.com

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup celery
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup onion
• 2 cups of lentils, rinsed to remove debris
• 1 28 oz can of stewed tomatoes (we use a quart of our own canned tomatoes)
• 6 cups of water
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp of cayenne (or more to taste)
• 1¾ tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 cups of chick peas
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• *optional: fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients excepts chick peas and garlic into a soup pot
2. Bring to boil, and reduce to simmer
3. Cook until lentils have softened (about 30 minutes)
4. Using a stick blender, puree soup to desired consistency (this will thicken the soup)
5. Add in chick peas and garlic and heat until warmed. We add the garlic in at the end to maximize it's health benefits. If cooked too long, its benefits are reduced.
6. If soup is too thick, add additional water to thin to desired consistency
7. Serve or freeze. Freezes well, up to 6 months

Notes

Packed with iron (238%), Vitamin A (387%), Vitamin C (242%), and Potassium 3084 mg in entire recipe

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ⅛ of recipe Calories: 257 Fat: 1 g Carbohydrates: 38 g Fiber: 9.3 g Protein: 13.3 g

3.2.2802