Full of goodness and very filling, this deliciously exotic, healthy and comforting soup with just a wee bit of kick is . . . perfect

I always have a can of chickpeas in my pantry, so I'm constantly on the hunt for new recipes to use them up. This recipe has warm Indian flavors, and it's a soup your dietician would approve.

Have fun experimenting with the ingredients. Carrots or butternut squash could be used instead of sweet potato. You could use frozen green peas or even zucchini in place of the green beans. If you want extra protein for your muscles, try adding cubed tofu. And if you think it's missing a grain, add cooked quinoa or leftover rice after you've blended the soup.

The soup has a little heat from the curry powder, but not the kind that burns the tip of your tongue. It's more the kind that warms the back of your throat. This soup goes especially well with warmed naan bread -- my favorite!

CHICKPEA CURRY SOUP

SERVES: 4

INGRIEDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 large onion)

• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

• 1 tablespoon finely grated garlic

• 1 tablespoon curry powder

• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

• 1 sweet potato, peeled, cubed

• 1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 cup chopped green beans

• 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, garlic, curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until onion has softened and ginger sticks to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.

2. Add a splash of the vegetable stock to the pot. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in remaining stock, sweet potato and chickpeas. Reduce heat to low; simmer, partially covered, until sweet potato is cooked, about 30 minutes.

3. Transfer 3 cups of soup to a blender, and blend until smooth and return to pot. Stir in green beans, and continue to simmer soup until beans are tender crisp, about 5 minutes.

4. Season to taste with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice to perk up the flavor.

Soup tips

• To make this recipe even easier, use an immersion blender right in the pot to partially puree the soup.

• If your curry powder lacks heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

• You can use garam masala in place of curry powder