Many of my soup recipes include some form of bean or lentils. They not only boast an impressive amount of protein, but they are rich in fibre, too. In North America, we have far greater health problems related to insufficient fibre than insufficient protein. It’s funny how locked in we get to certain ideas as it relates to nutrition. I’ve included a link to a brief article discussing how most of us are getting more protein than we need and not enough fibre – you can view by clicking here. The nice thing with this recipe is that both your protein and fibre needs are met, it’s inexpensive, eco-friendly because it’s plant-based and super easy to make – yay!

I made this soup using the slow cooker feature of my instant pot. Given that the beans are already cooked, you could easily whip this up in under 30 minutes instead of using a slow cooker.

1 onion, diced = approx 1 1/2 cups
2 tablespoons avocado oil or other heat-tolerant oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoons curry powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable stock
1 796 ml can of diced tomatoes *
1 796 ml can of garbanzo beans *
1 can full-fat organic coconut milk

Warm oil in fry pan. Saute onion until softened and translucent. If using slow cooker, transfer to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except the coconut milk. Heat on low for 6 to 8 hours. Prior to serving, add coconut milk. Using immersion blender, blend until soup is smooth. If you’re not using a slow cooker, follow above steps and heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Then add coconut milk and blend prior to serving.

*When using canned beans and tomatoes, look for organic, and also look for BPA-free cans. Also, for those avoiding lectins, which are found in beans, you can safely consume canned beans as they’ve been pressure cooked, which will reduce or remove lectins.