Coconut Curried Carrot Soup with Spiced Chickpeas

I really enjoy cooking (and eating) the kind of soup that is "meal in itself", one you can enjoy on its own without lots of bread or a sandwich to accompany it... and this soup is just that - perfect to eat all on its own. It's bursting with nutrition and keep you going for hours.  

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoon olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 8 medium carrots, diced

• 800 mls vegetable broth

• 1 can of coconut milk

• 1 Tablespoon curry powder

• 1 teaspoon ginger powder/fresh ginger

• Salt / Pepper, to taste

• Feta, optional

• 1 ½ tins of chickpeas

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• Dash of salt

Method

To make the chickpeas: Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Combine all the ingredients together and put in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until the chickpeas are crispy. Remove from oven and let cool.

 To make the soup: Heat olive oil over medium in a large saucepan. Add onions and saute until translucent (about ten minutes). Add the carrots and cook for another five minutes. Pour in the stock, coconut milk, ginger, and curry powder. Cover and cook for about ten minutes (or until the carrots are soft).

Once all the vegetables are soft, add chickpeas, remove from heat and puree. Season with salt, pepper, and maybe a little hot sauce (if you like a kick).

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