Crock Pot Chick-pea Soup with Kale

The Vegan thing is NOT as easy as it seems!  There are tons of recipes for vegan, vegetarian, and those that follow different diets, ect.  But, what I have found most helpful for me, while trying to be vegan, is making up recipes using ingredients I like verses trying to follow the food trends.  Let's face it, we still need to live our lives, having a specific diet can become difficult for everyone around us if we let it!  So... I have come up with another recipe I feel is a real winner and healthy to boot!  With this recipe you could easily add diced chicken for those who would like it...enjoy!

1 large Vidalia sweet onion, diced
4 tablespoons, olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup red wine
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
3 cans chick-peas
2 parsnips, peeled & sliced into 1/4 inch disks
2 tablespoons kale, sliced, per bowl of soup
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method

1) In a saute pan add 2 tablespoons olive oil and onions, saute until light gold in color, 5-8 minutes.  Place in Crock pot and deglaze the pan with the wine.  Place the wine (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) in the crock pot as well.
2) Next, add the other 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and saute the garlic, about 2 minutes, add this to the crock pot.
3) Add the chick peas, parsnips, vegetable broth and parsley to the crock pot and turn on high heat for 6 hours.
4) Before serving add sliced kale to the soup and salt and pepper to taste! Yummy!

Printable Version

In case you are wondering what vegetable broth to use, here is what I use and like!