Spicy Legumes & Tomato Soup

We have been on a constant battle with our weight. We both feel if we lose couple of stones, we’ll look and feel much greater. Somehow this realization strikes in front of the scale and seem to disappear in front of food. Hence we are on a constant battle.

Some time back I used to have notebook jotting down everything that went inside and calorie counting, rigorous exercise and having soups and stews for dinner. But after having soups very regularly I’ve lost appetite for them. I’m bored doing the same type of exercise repeatedly. Now I’m looking for new suggestions to help me conquer my weight. (All your suggestions are most welcome)

My DH still likes taking soups for dinner. This is one of soups I made for him. It had to be mildly spicy for which I added coriander and chili powder, tanginess from juicy pulp of tomatoes, and of course wholesome - by adding three type of legumes i.e. red lentils, Black beans and Garbanzo beans. You can try it out with your own preferred legumes.

Legumes are a good source of protein for vegetarians. They are low in fat, good source of fiber, and are rich in vitamins and minerals. It’s always recommended that vegetarians combine legumes because one legume can compensate certain type of protein lacking in other and vice versa.

Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) Salad

Whenever I make salads, I add legumes as a protein source. Nutty flavor of chick peas goes well combined with sour green apple and colored peppers.

Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) are a very good source of folic acid, fiber, and protein.  They are also a good source of protein, as well as minerals such as iron, copper, zinc and magnesium. As a good source of fiber, garbanzo beans can help lower cholesterol and  improve blood sugar levels. This makes them a great food especially for diabetics and insulin-resistant individuals. When served with high quality grains, garbanzo beans are an extremely-low-fat, complete protein food.  

Print recipe here
Ingredients

Serves 2-3

100g boiled chickpeas

¼ of each red, yellow and green peppers, thinly sliced

1 green granny smith apple, diced

1 red onion, thinly sliced

½ of Japanese cucumber, thinly sliced

2 red chilies, halved and sliced

50g pitted black olives                                                                50g cherry tomatoes, halved

For Dressing

2 tbsp low fat yogurt (optional)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic and ginger

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp dried parsley

Pinch of salt and pepper

Method

Mix all the dressing ingredients, set them aside.

Add all vegetables to a large salad bowl, drizzle dressing over the vegetables. Mix well with wooden spoon, serve immediately.

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Tabbouleh Style Salad

Slight variation is applied to this Middle Eastern salad by replacing bulgar with pasta. Parmesan cheese and sweet corn is added to enhance flavor and to make it a wholesome main meal.


Ingredients
Serves 2-3


50g pasta
50g de-frozen sweet corn
100g boiled / canned chickpeas
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 Japanese cucumber, diced
1 large tomato, diced
2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 green chili finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of roasted pine nuts
50g parmesan cheese grated / Soy Cheese 


Method


Boil water in a sauce pan, when water starts boiling add salt and pasta, cook for 15 minutes till pasta is soft. Drain water and set aside.


Mix pasta with all other ingredients with a wooden spoon and serve immediately.

Jamie Oliver’s Leeks and Chickpea Soup

C

Serve’s 2

Ingredients

1 medium size leek stick chopped

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion chopped

1 tbsp minced garlic & ginger

100g boiled chickpeas

2 tsp corn flour mixed in cold water

1 vegetable soup cube

Parsley for garnishing

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic, and ginger for a minute. Add chopped leeks, soup cube sauté till leeks are wilted turns to golden colour. Add one bowl of water and boil for about 5 minutes.

When the soup starts simmering, add corn flour mixture stir well. Add boiled chickpeas, salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle in soup bowls and garnish with parsley.

Nigella Lawson's Pumpkin and Chickpeas Soup

Southeast Asian herbs like lime leaves and lemon grass infuse aromatic flavor to this creamy pumpkin soup, with chunky chickpeas. Mouth watering yummy soup to warm you up, in a cold winter weather and sooth your senses after a tiring day.

Ingredients
Serves 2-3
500g Japanese Pumpkin, chopped
200g boiled / canned chickpeas
200ml coconut milk
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 lime leaf, torn / grated lemon rind
1 lemon grass crushed
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
1 vegetable soup cube
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Spring onion chopped
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Heat oil in a large sauce pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add pumpkin, salt, sugar, lemon grass, lemon leaves, curry powder and soup cube. Stir well till pumpkin is coated with spices.

Add coconut cream, lower the heat, close the lid, let it simmer for 10 minutes till pumpkin is soft.

Add one bowl of water bring to boil for 5 more minutes. When soup starts simmering, add chickpeas and mix well.

Turn off heat, season with lemon juice, pepper and salt. Ladle soup into bowls garnish with coriander and chopped spring onion.

Red Lentil Tofu Soup

This attractive tofu and vegetable soup, made with cinnamon, is ideal for cold and hungry days, especially after energetic activities and long country walks in fresh frosty air.

Serves 2-3

Method

2 tbsp vegetable oil
50g firm tofu cut into cubes
1 onion chopped

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
200g tomatoes chopped
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp curry powder
50g red lentils washed
50g boiled chickpeas  / can

1 vegetable soup cube
250g noodles
salt & pepper to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Heat oil in a pan sauté cubed tofu, with 1 tbsp soy sauce until they are brown and set aside

In a pan stir fry onion and garlic, ginger for 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock cube, 1 bowl of water, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, curry powder, red lentils, turmeric and ground cinnamon. Stir well and cook for around 25 minutes, till lentils are soft.

When soup is simmering add chickpeas, salt, pepper and stir well.

Separately boil noodles and set aside. Serve noodles in soup bowls, ladle soup on top and garnish with coriander leaves and lemon slices.

Garlic-laced Chickpea soup

Light soup made with pulses, big in flavour with coriander and garlic. Crusty bread goes well.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp garlic ginger paste

1 large onion chopped

200g chickpeas, soaked overnight & boiled with salt / can

Few coriander leaves chopped

1 tbsp plain flour mixed in cold water

½ lemon juice

1 cube vegetable stock

1 tbsp mustard cream

Parsley for garnishing

Salt & pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan, stir fry onion and garlic ginger for few minutes. Add stock cube, 1 bowl of water and boil for 5 minutes.

When soup is simmering add chick peas, salt, mustard cream, flour mixture,  salt, stir well for 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat, add coriander leaves and lemon juice.

Serve soup in bowls and garnish with parsley leaves.

Cinnamon-spiced Chickpea and Vegetable Soup

Cinnamon, ginger and turmeric are a warming mix of spices to perfectly complement nutty chickpeas.


Serves 2-3
Ingredients

1 large onion chopped
1 cube vegetable stock
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp garlic ginger paste
½ tsp curry powder
1 carrot diced
1 celery diced
200g tomatoes chopped
1 large potato diced
200g chickpeas boiled or can
Fresh coriander leaves chopped for garnishing
½ tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil


Method

Heat oil in a large pan sauté onion, garlic ginger paste for 2 minutes. When onion is soft add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, cinnamon, curry powder stir well until it forms a thick paste.

Add stock cube 1 bowl of water, carrots, celery and potatoes and bring to boil.

When soup is simmering and vegetable are cooked, add chickpeas, salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat add lemon juice and mix well.

Ladle soup into the bowls, garnish with chopped coriander.