Spinach and Garbanzo Bean Soup

Let me first state that this soup tastes unusual.  When fed to the family, one person hated it.  One disliked it.  One liked it.  And two loved it.  I am one of the ones that loved it.  The more I ate of it, the more I loved it.  It is creamy and meaty and full of nutty goodness and very easy to make.  I highly recommend it. But if you are not adventurous and welcome to middle eastern tastes…then be warned.

Ingredients

  • I package of frozen chopped spinach (or use a package of fresh spinach, chopped)
  • 1 can (15oz) Garbanzo/Chickpeas
  • I med onion, roughly diced (not too fine)
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced.
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4-5 tablespoons (1/2 cup) of tahini
  • 1 and 1/2 lemons, or 4 TBLS of lemon juice
  • veggie bouillon cubes or veggie stock mix
  • 5-6 cups of water
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In large pot heat up olive oil.  Saute onions until soft. Add in frozen spinach and 2 crushed cloves of garlic to cook while stirring until spinach is no longer frozen (or fresh spinach is wilted).  Add in water, bouillon cubes/mix, and garbanzo beans.  Stir.

Simmer for 30 minutes over low-medium heat.

In a small bowl, add two other crushed cloves of garlic, squeeze juice from one and 1/2 lemons.  Add in tahini and mix well.   Add in a couple tablespoons of the hot soup to the bowl to stop the tahini mix from curdling.  Now add the lemon juice/tahini mix to the pot and turn off heat.  Stir and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot or cold.