Recipe: Creamy Tomato & Chickpea Soup

I love tomato soup, especially with a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s one of those comfort foods from my childhood that I’ve clung to right to this day. Campbell’s was always my favourite because it was so creamy, but when I discovered that I had Celiac Disease, I had to find another brand that didn’t use wheat as a thickener. For some reason, those other brands just never tasted as good, and tomato soup just disappeared from our cupboards.

One day, I made a happy (accidental) discovery for my own tomato soup recipe that I just have to share. It began with me trying to get a jump start on supper. I was trying to figure out what meals I can make with my crockpot so that I spend less time standing over a hot stove or sink full of dishes. I pulled out some leftover chickpeas, a jar of our home-made tomato sauce, and other miscellaneous ingredients. I figured I’d whip it all together in the crockpot with some chicken and seasoning, then walk away for a few hours to see what happened.

I never transferred the ingredients from the blender to the crockpot. My kids aren’t fond of chickpeas. I love them. So, we made an agreement: if I can incorporate chickpeas into a dish without the kids being able to identify them …

But, I digress. Let’s say that the blender results were so amazingly delicious that I skipped the crockpot and we enjoyed this yummy treat instead.

Note: Adding sugar to tomato sauce and soup reduces acidity.

To taste:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Sugar (optional)
• Cilantro (optional)