One-pot creamy leek and chickpea soup

Sweater weather, flu season, whatever you want to call it. Winter is here in Toronto, and I will dream of soup and carbs every day for the next four months.

Soup is the best accessory to crusty bread. The perfect match for chewy pasta, fluffy rice and doughy perogies. A thick, steamy hodgepodge of flavours, colours and textures — all assembled casually in one pot.

This protein-powered soup is easy to whip up with a few key elements: chickpeas, leeks and tender greens. I prefer to use dried chickpeas purchased from my bulk food store, so the prep requires more time the night before to soak and then cook. Be sure to wash the leeks thoroughly. I used bok choy here, but any leafy green vegetable will do.

extra protein, please: topping my soup bowl with roasted chickpeas

Serves: 4

1 cup of chickpeas, cooked and drained
1 large leek, washed, drained and thinly sliced
leafy greens such as spinach, kale or bok choy
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
4 cups of water
1/3 cup of low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1/2 cup of chickpea flour
2 tsp of turmeric
nutritional yeast flakes
thyme or rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

optional add-ons: mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, corn niblets, tofu, tempeh

THE NIGHT BEFORE

soak the Chickpeas

Dried chickpeas are a cheap, package-free purchase from the bulk food store.

1. Sort through the chickpeas and remove any debris.
2. In a large container or bowl, cover the chickpeas with cold water.
3. Cover the container and soak overnight for at least 12 hours.

THE DAY OF

cook the chickpeas

1. After soaking, drain the chickpeas and place them in the pot you’ll be using for the soup.
2. Cover with water, about double the amount of the chickpeas.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Cover the pot and lower the heat.
5. Simmer for about an hour.
6. Check the tenderness of the chickpeas. If they aren’t tender enough, continue simmering and checking.
7. Drain and transfer the chickpeas to a bowl.

clean and slice the leeks

1. Cut off and discard the root ends.
2. Slice the leeks vertically and wash thoroughly in a colander, pulling apart and checking the layers for any debris.
3. Slice the clean leeks finely.

Prep the flour base

1. In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of water and 1 cup of chickpea flour.
2. Whisk the mixture well to avoid lumps.

Start the soup

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the leeks and cook until tender for 6 to 8 minutes. If the leeks start to brown, turn the heat below medium.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the water and bring to a boil.
5. Stir in the chickpeas.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer.
7. Add the tamari or soy sauce.
8. Stir in the flour base.
9. Stir in the greens and cook until wilted.
10. Sprinkle the nutritional yeast and spices to taste.

Serve with the carbs of your choice.