Chickpea Noodle Soup - Hummus if it were soup!

My inspriation:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001540.html


I stumbled across this website when I was googling "how to print your own recipe book," for Christmas presents. She's a San Francisco based vegetarian food writer and photographer with a very practical approach to food buying and cooking. I have barely scratched the surface of her website, but her simple recipes with economical rather than outlandish ingredients seem very appealing. Especially since we're trying to eat less meat. And she has separate categories named kale, chickpea, yougurt, soba noodles, tomoato, egg and just about every other favorite ingredient of mine. I'll be checking in regularly to be sure.



Last night we had plans to meet friends at the Portland holiday brewers festival at 5 pm. At 3 pm I decided to take the dogs for a run/walk (we run up the hills and walk down them). I returned at 3:30 with plenty of time to shower, dress and meet the friends, until, halfway through my shower my stomach growled and I realized I hadn't eaten anything since the two small blueberry pancakes at 10 this morning and a) didn't want to deal with trying to eat at brewfest and b) didn't want to drink heavy, heady, holiday brews on an empty stomach, I winced in anticipation of the headache. Luckily, just that morning I found this website and this particular recipe for chickpea noodle soup. Broth, chickpeas, noodles, garlic, all things I always have in the pantry. I was out of the shower and in the kitchen by 4:00...in my bathrobe, but with my hair at least blown sorta dry (I have low maintenance hair). By 4:20 the whole thing was simmering and the noodles cooking. At 4:30 the noodles were done and I turned off the heat, leaving the noodles to cook some more and the broth to cool. I did my make-up and figured out at least which jeans I was wearing. At 4:40 still in a sweatshirt I went back downstairs to stuff my face. Texted friends that we were running late. It's a quick meal, not a miracle. Friend texted back "me too, meet up at 6?" Ah, small favors. Poured the soup into a bowl and sat with it for awhile, letting the scents waft up my nose - I'm recovering from a cold so the steam bath felt lovely. Lemon, olive oil, garlic, paprika, four indespensible flavors for more than one culture, they danced so comfortably together as I sat there drinking them in. 32 oz of broth, $3.00, 1 can chickpeas, $1.10, 2 cloves garlic 0.14 cents, 1 T paprika 0.10 cents, lemon juice .50 if real lemon, noodles .50, total, $5.20. $5.20 for a fantastic meal cooked in 30 minutes (and eaten in 45). This one is a keeper. Someday I will make the website version with fried noodles and high quality fresh pasta, but for cupboard staple soup, this is amazing.


My variation, cooked and eaten in less than 45 minutes

1 32 oz box chicken broth (or homemade if you have it)
2-4 clove garlic depending on how garlicky you want it, minced or pressed
2 T olive oil
1 14 oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups small egg noodles (1/2 more if you like it extra noodley)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 T paprika
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme (or dill, or cumin or use your imagination)
1 small or 1/2 bay leaf


Heat olive oil over medium heat until it sizzles, toss in minced garlic and saute 30 sec-1 min until garlic is softened and aromatic. Add chick peas and saute 30 more secs. Add broth, lemon juice, bay leaf, paprika, cayenne and thyme, bring to a boil and let simmer 15 minutes. Use a potato masher to lightly mash the beans so they are just broken up. Add egg noodles and cook according to time on package. When noodles are al dente, remove from heat and let rest 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with tobasco sauce, pita triangles, yogurt or tzatziki sauce.