Do you have a pantry like me?

And by pantry I of course include the fridge and freezer. And by I, I mean me, Christine.

Maybe I overstock, especially for two adults of non-picky palate. But I realized today, when I wanted fresh soup, that I had all the ingredients for this one I'd been meaning to try. And I'd cooked the chickpeas myself three days ago. Wacky, wacky. Anyway, this is truly wonderful. I haven't tried using soy milk or skim instead of half-and-half yet, but I'm guessing you could without a problem. The fat isn't needed for transcendence here; it's already wonderful.

GARLIC, CHICKPEA AND SPINACH SOUP, serves 4 or 5

In dutch oven/soup pot:

Olive oil (or walnut, if you run out like I do)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Saute for 5 minutes until golden.

2 t. cumin
2 t. ground coriander
Add in; saute a minute more.

5 c. vegetable or chicken broth
12 oz. potato, peeled and diced (2 medium)
Pour in broth and potato; bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.

2 c. chickpeas (1-15 oz. can)
Add to pot; simmer for 5 minutes.

2/3 c. heavy cream/half and half
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. tahini
salt and pepper
Combine. Add to pot when potatoes and chickpeas are just tender, stirring a lot.

7 oz. spinach, shredded/chopped fine
Add to pot; bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste, and a bit of cayenne pepper. Garnish with a dash of cayenne.

---
This really is wonderful. Smells great, goes together fast. An excellent lunch soup for a grey day.