Roasted Pepper and Tomato Quick-Soup with Turmeric Toasted Chickpea Croutons

​One of the greatest joys of working remotely from home is having the ability to cook a nutritious and satisfying meal in the middle of the day.  Thankfully, gone are the days when I had to make-do with sad leftovers in Tupperware or spending more money than I needed to on a meal out before rushing back to the office.  Instead, I now get to peruse my refrigerator and allow my pantry ingredients to speak to me as to what would best serve my body and soul. ​

One chilly, rainy day this past fall, I was craving a healthy but satisfying soup for my mid-day meal to warm my bones.  I had a few cans of chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, onions, and some roasted poblano peppers that my husband had just brought back for me from his recent hunting trip to New Mexico.  Of course, the Georgia Gold™ turmeric powder was on my mind, and I realized how naturally these ingredients would compliment the turmeric.  I didn’t want to spend a bunch of time chopping all of my ingredients to a uniform shape, so I thought to toss it all into one pot to cook, and then transfer the ingredients to my Vitamix to combine it all together into one silky flavor experience.  I call this recipe a “quick-soup” because it was literally so quick to make!
 
To keep this recipe gluten-free, plant rich, and the texture interesting, I came up with the idea of treating the remaining chickpeas like croutons, which I toasted in olive oil and coated with a generous pinch of our Georgia Gold™ turmeric powder once removed from the heat.  The trick with these “croutons” is to remove as much moisture from them as possible – if time allows, disperse the chickpeas on a sheet pan lined with a paper towel for a few hours.  Place them on top of the soup, along with a few chopped green onions, right when you’re ready to chow down in order to maintain maximum crispiness. 
 
The flavors that resulted from my experimenting were nothing short of fantastic.  Not only did I love the taste, but I was thrilled to have created such a satisfying lunch that was packed with nutrients and plant protein.  The next time you’re peckish for a satisfying and nutrient-dense easy lunchtime option, I hope you’ll give this soup a try.
 
 
 
Roasted Poblano, Chickpea, and Tomato Quick-Soup with Toasted Georgia Gold™ Turmeric Chickpea Croutons
Serves 2
 
4 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1/3 sweet or white onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 carrot or 5 baby carrots, roughly chopped
1 to 2 roasted poblano peppers, peeled and seeds removed (canned may also be used)
1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, divided
1 ½ cups chopped baby tomatoes, or one 15oz can of diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
3 teaspoons Georgia Gold™ turmeric powder (fermented or regular), separated
2 teaspoons chives or green onions, chopped (optional)
 
 
1.  To make the soup:  Add the onion, garlic, and carrots to a medium pot and sauté over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the onions are slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add in the prepared poblano peppers, ½ of the chickpeas, tomatoes, your broth of choice, and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a soft boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the carrots and chickpeas soften and flavors meld.
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2.  Safely pour the soup mixture into a blender (an immersion blender can also be used here if preferred) and add 2 teaspoons of Georgia Gold™ turmeric powder.  Puree until smooth, or until the desired texture is reached, adding more stock if it too thick.  Work in batches if needed so as not to overfill the blender and potentially scald yourself.

3.  To make the croutons:  For best results, allow the chickpeas to dry as much as possible – the more moisture you remove, the more crispy the chickpea croutons will be.  When ready, heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Once hot, add the remaining chickpeas, and toss with salt and pepper to taste, and stir occasionally.  Allow a nice golden brown crust to form on the chickpeas as they toast.  Once they have been toasted to your satisfaction, remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the chickpeas with the remaining teaspoon of the Georgia Gold™ turmeric powder of your choosing, and stir to coat.

4.  To serve, pour the desired amount of soup straight from the blender into bowls.  Top the soup with the turmeric toasted chickpeas and a sprinkling of chives or green onions, if desired.  Enjoy! 

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