Creamy Chickpea Soup

Hubby had another client dinner the other night. Typically on nights like that, I curl up on the couch with a bottle of wine and some cheese, and catch up on girl tv (The Bachelor, etc.). The other night I was craving something a little more substantial and after eating a couple of the Rosemary Lemon Cookies, I wanted something a little healthier than cheese and wine.

It also felt kind of weird to be cooking for myself, since I haven't done that in the almost three years Hubby and I have been married. Even before that, we usually cooked together at my apartment or his townhouse.

I love chickpeas, hummus, etc. So when I came across this recipe at the Frantic Home Cook via a Food Blog Search. This was very easy. I used our immersion blender - for the first time (loved it by the way)!  This soup was delicious. Surprisingly, it tasted pretty rich to be just chickpeas. I finished it off with a drizzle of white truffle oil, which if you have this, I definitely suggest doing so because it take this over the top!

Creamy Chickpea Soup

1 tablespoon of olive oil
6 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaf minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 (15-19 ounce) cans chickpeas rinsed & drained
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
sea salt to taste
fresh group pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes; let cool slightly. Transfer soup to a blender, cover loosely and puree until just smooth. Or use an immersion blender if you have one.

Return to the saucepan and stir in lemon juice and sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve, garnished with a fresh rosemary sprig, or an additional drizzling of olive oil.