Cooking in Quarantine: Odds + Ends Bean Soup

With ½ a can of chickpeas, ½ of a lemon, ½ an onion, garlic, a few baby carrots and tomatoes lingering on my countertop, I decided to make a single serving soup for lunch. The spice cabinet is loaded and I’ve feta in the fridge from my trip to the Mediterranean market over a week ago. It still smells fresh and tastes so too, so I’m going for it. 

Right now, cooking in the time of the Rona, especially for singles can get tricky. It’s easy to get tired of eating the same batch of soup or a slow cooker meal over and over, so it’s really important to think strategically. Cooking modularly and in components is something I’ve been talking about for a while, not just for singles but for families too. 

I used chickpeas this week for salads, lemons for dressings and juices, carrots for snacking and roasting, tomatoes for morning eggs with cheese. Now I’m flipping these very ingredients into an afternoon soup. 

Spicy, zesty, made in 15 minutes - I doubt you’ll regret using leftover items and tossing them into one pot to result in a one bowl wonder. 

Start here. And, remember, no matter what your leftover scenario - from roasted veggies to any beans you may have - you can always make a soup. 

Cooking in Quarantine: Odds + Ends Bean Soup

Add diced onion, diced baby carrots and tomatoes (half them) to a small sauce pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic along with 1 teaspoon of cumin, ½ a teaspoon of all spice, a sprinkle of oregano, lemon zest and saute until veggies are tender - about 10 minutes. Add chickpeas and 1 cup of chicken stock or 1 cup of water and vegetable bullion (sub salt and pepper for stock or bullion if you don’t have any) and bring to a simmer, another 5 minutes. Remove from heat, finish with lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper, stir to combine. Serve with crumbled feta.