How I keep my Pilates Body other than through exercise!

Today it’s the chickpea. 

Very good. Very easy. Very inexpensive. Let’s not forget Very healthy. This is a great dish to make as it has everything you need and has nothing you don’t. It’s a keeper in our house make it a keeper in yours. As with all my recipes be creative and make it your own!
Moroccan Chickpea Soup by Dave Lieberman

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 large onion, medium diced
6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika
1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes (I use whole tomatoes and let them break up as they cook)
3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well (I use 2 cans)
1 quart vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar (I don’t use)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (5-ounce) package pre-washed baby spinach (I’ve used all different kinds of greens) Use what you have!

Procedure

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.

Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.

Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

* This is a great soup to do ahead & have on the ready. I add the greens when I reheat the soup. However, it does taste great the next day, wilted greens and all. I also like to grate Parmesan cheese on my bowl of soup, perhaps you will too.

Enjoy!

Susan Sommers is a Pilates instructor specializing in those 50+ in NYC