Red Swiss Chard, Chickpea & Leek Soup {vegan}

When I was younger, I wasn’t quite as into health as I am now.

Luckily, I grew up in a health-conscious family with parents who exercised often and ate well. Our dinners almost always include nutritious vegetables. I remember feeling embarrassed as a kid when my friends came over and we didn’t have an abundance of Oreos and Doritos in our pantry to nosh on like most of their houses did.

I used to roll my eyes at my mom when she would take a bite of something super healthy and say, “Mmmm delicious! And it’s so good for you!”

I was convinced that she sabotaged herself into loving vegetables because of their nutrition content. Keep in mind, I became a vegetarian at age 10, and while I ate veggies and had a decently healthy diet for a kid, I wasn’t exactly in love with broccoli and considered overly processed veggie burgers and white pasta to be staple foods.

Fast forward to last weekend, when I’m chopping up celery, carrots, leeks, and Swiss chard, for a nutritious, hearty chickpea soup….and all I can think is, “These veggies provide so many  vitamins and nutrients! This soup is like cold medicine. It’s going to be awesome!”

There comes a time in some daughters’ lives when they realize that they are much more like their mother than they previously thought as a bratty teenager. I came to the realization that my excitement towards nutritious food is just one example of our commonalities awhile ago. Coming up with this veggie-filled soup last weekend was just a (delicious) reminder.

Looking back, boy am I thankful to have grown up in a home where the after-school snack was fresh fruit and not greasy potato chips!

Red Swiss Chard, Chickpea & Leek Soup

Foodie Loves Fitness

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 4

Calories 220 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 12 oz red swiss chard
• 2 1/2 cups canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 2 medium leeks white and green parts
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 large peeled carrot
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2 TSP salt
• 1/2 TSP crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

 

• Wash all vegetables. Remove the stems of the Swiss chard and roughly chop. Chop the leeks, celery, and carrot, and mince the garlic.
• In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the garlic cloves, and cook for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Add the vegetable broth, Swiss chard, chickpeas, leeks, celery, carrot, red pepper flakes, and salt to the pot.
• Bring to a boil, then lowly simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add more salt and red pepper to taste.
• Spoon into bowls, and serve all on its own or with crackers or bread for dipping.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 10gFat: 6gFiber: 6g

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