Lowfat Crockpot Chickpea and Pasta Soup from Dinners in a Flash

Dinners in a Flash Members - Login and Choose this recipe and it will be added to your grocery list.

Lowfat Crockpot Chickpea and Pasta Soup
Very good! Soup is similar to pasta figioli.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Qty	Unit	Ingredient

2	Tsp	Olive oil
3	ea	Red onions - small, finely chopped
3	ea	Garlic clove, peeled
1	Can	Chickpeas - 19 oz, rinsed and drained
3	ea	Carrots, finely chopped
3	ea	Celery Stalks with leaves, finely chopped
3	Oz	Smoked Ham Hock
10	ea	Flat leaf parsley sprigs
1	ea	Cinamon Stick
1/2	Tsp	Salt
1/4	Tsp	Freshly ground black pepper
8	C	Reduced sodium beef broth
1	C	Orzo
3	ea	Plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
		Flat leaf parsley for garnish
1/4	C	Parmesan cheese, grated for ganish

Instructions

In a skillet heat oil and add onions and garlic. Cook stirring occasionally unil softened, about 5 minutes. Put mixture in a 5 or 6 quart crockpot. Add the chickpeas, carrots, celery, ham hock, parsley sprigs, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper to crockpot. Pour broth over ingredients and cover. Cook for 4 to 5 hours on high and 8 to 10 hours on low. When cooking is complete remove ham hock, parsley sprigs and cinnamon stick. Skim fat away from top of soup.

When soup is about 15 minutes away from being done, cook the orzo in a seperate pan according to package directions, leave out the salt. When ready, drain and add to crockpot. Top each serving with tomatoes, and garnish with parsley and cheese.