Chickpea Soup with Dandelion Greens

Soup is wonderful. It's warm and comforting, it's not hard to make, and it only needs one pot to make it! Delicious, easy, and no mess! Perfect. This tasty soup makes use of canned beans, and some beautiful dandelion greens I saw at the store. Garnished with avocado, it's the perfect weeknight meal.

original recipe via theppk.com 

Grocery list items: 

celery 

carrots 

1 can chickpeas

1 can cannellini beans 

dashi (miso broth base) 

dandelion greens 

avocado (optional) 

Dandelion greens might be a bit of an acquired taste. I had them for the first time, and discovered I like them, but they are pretty bitter. When I saw them in the store though, they looked so green and crisp and inviting, I just had to try them! This recipe can substitute any other dark green veggie, although I recommend something hearty, to keep the texture. Also - I used dashi (miso) as the base for this soup. You could use any kind of stock or bouillon instead, that's just what I had on hand.

Chickpea Soup with Dandelion Greens 

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 onion, chopped 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

dried rosemary 

thyme (I used fresh but dry is great) 

Salt 

Pepper 

4 stalks celery, chopped

10 baby carrots, chopped 

3/4 cup brown rice

5 cups water

2 tsp dashi 

1 can chickpeas

1 can cannellini beans

1 cup dandelion greens, torn, stems removed, rinsed well

3/4 cup almond milk (unsweetened) 

1/2 avocado, sliced thin 

To start, sautee the onions and garlic in the olive oil. When they begin to get a little soft, add the salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Continue to cook a little longer, then add the celery and carrots. Stir well, then add the water, dashi, and rice. Cover and bring to a boil, stir, and reduce to a simmer. Rinse the beans in a colander, then add them to the pot as well. Cook for 15- 20 min, or until the rice is done. Stir in the almond milk and greens, and continue to cook until the dandelion greens are wilted a bit. Add water if the soup seems too thick. Serve topped with slices of avocado. Healthy and filling, and delicious!