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Writer's pictureDivine Alkaline

Alkaline Creamy Chickpea and Watercress Soup

Updated: May 6, 2023

Chickpeas are a good source of vitamin B6 and folate (they provide about 14% of your daily needs of each in a 1-cup serving). You'll also get B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid. This Chickpea Soup recipe will keep your levels topped up.


Healthy minerals in chickpeas include manganese, phosphorus, copper, iron, magnesium, and smaller amounts of potassium, selenium, and calcium.

PREP TIME

COOK TIME

TOTAL TIME

SERVING

10 MINS

45 MINS

55 MINS

4


Ingredients for Chickpea Soup

  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (plus extra for drizzling)

  • 2 yellow onion, chopped

  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas (480g drained and rinsed)

  • 1 courgette peeled and chopped

  • 1 cup chopped pumpkin

  • Approx. 6 cherry tomatos

  • Water

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, and more to taste

  • Freshly ground cayenne pepper, and fresh herbs to taste

  • 4-5 cups chopped watercress, callaloo or kale.


Instructions for Chickpea Soup

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, or until the onion is tender and clear. Add the chickpeas, courgette, pumpkin, 4 cups water, salt, chilli and fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, parsley or coriander). Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer.

  • Transfer the mixture in the pot to a powerful blender. Blend the ingredients on high till the mixture is very smooth. Take precaution with blending, as the hot soup will splatter. You can also use an immersion blender for this step.

  • Transfer the pureed soup back to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the greens and cook for another 7-10 minutes, or until the greens are very tender. and add up to one extra cup water (240mL) if the soup is too thick for your liking. Adjust salt and chilli to taste. Serve.


Bowl of Alkaline Chickpea and Watercress Soup

Chickpeas Nutrition


The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for 1 cup (152g) of canned chickpeas that have been drained and rinsed.

  • Calories: 210

  • Fat: 3.8g

  • Sodium: 322mg

  • Carbohydrates: 35g

  • Fiber: 9.6g

  • Sugars: 6g

  • Protein: 10.7g

  • Vitamin B6: 0.18mg

  • Folate: 62.3µg

  • Calcium: 65.4mg

  • Vitamin A: 33.4IU


Avoid Canned Foods

If you aren’t already soaking dry beans, here’s why you should start:

  • Un-soaked beans can take up to 60 minutes to cook, but soaking them first cuts the cooking time by as much as 70%.

  • Soaking preserves more of the nutrients in the bean, so that you get the benefit of all the protein, vitamins and minerals, while allowing the bean to become more digestible.

  • Amounts of vitamins, especially the heat-sensitive ones like vitamin C, may be lost during the canning process.

  • Canned foods may contain BPA, a chemical that has been associated with health problems like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

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