Chickpea Veggie Soup with Smoked Paprika (GIVEAWAY!!!)

I know most foodie bloggers are posting super bowl recipes right now, but most super bowl recipes are heavy, fatty, and greasy. When you think “game day”, don’t you think chicken wings, burgers, chips, soda? I do too, but this year I am still going strong with my new year’s resolutions, believe it or not. I am still eating healthy and exercising 3 or 4 times a week.

So I have created a delicious soup that is healthy, but still has the big flavors required for a super bowl party. It makes a big pot to serve the masses, its hearty and filling, and its healthy! I got the idea from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook, but altered it quite a bit to make it my own.

The star of this dish is the La Chinata hot smoked paprika. La Chinata sent me a couple tins of their delicious Spanish smoky paprika. They have three varieties: hot, sweet, and bitter and they are all delicious. This is high quality spice straight from Spain, with vibrant color and intense flavor. You don’t need much of this spice to add a huge kick of flavor to a dish. If you have only had regular old paprika, you need to try smoked paprika. It kind of reminds me of bacon with the smoky flavor. Check out the La Chinata website or like them on facebook.  You can also buy it online at www.tienda.com

And you, my lucky readers, have a chance to win some La Chinata for your self. I have two tins to give away. One sweet and one hot (the hot is not extremely hot, just flavorful), so there will be two winners. You have one week to comment on this post. Tell me if you would rather have sweet or hot. The first name I draw (using random.org) will get first pick at the flavor and then I will draw one more reader for the remaining flavor. Your last day to comment is Friday, February 10, 2012. I will post the winner the next day.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 6 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/2 tsp. hot smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 cans (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 large red potatoes (1 pound), washed and chopped into chunks
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 2 sweet peppers (any color)
• 4 C. hot water
• 4 chicken bullion cubes (4 tsp.)
• 1 zucchini, chopped into chunks
• 1/4 C. parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• lemon wedges

Directions:

1. Chop up all your veggies and open all your cans.

2. In a large pot, heat up the olive oil over medium-high. When it is hot, add the chopped onions and the sugar. Stir occasionally until the onions are soft. Add the garlic, paprika, ginger, and cumin and stir for about 30 seconds.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, sweet peppers, water, and bullion. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let simmer until potatoes are tender. About 20 minutes.

4. Add the zucchini and let simmer for another 5 or 10 minutes, until the zucchini is cooked, but not soggy.

5. Stir in the parsley. Taste and add salt, pepper, and more paprika as needed. Serve with lemon wedges.

If you have left overs, reheat on the stove, but do not boil.

Idea adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook