So the weather here in Penticton BC has (finally!) been getting colder and but its still cloudy and windy so perfect days to perfect my “not chicken noodle soup” Its a lovely blend of warm spices and broth reminiscent of a chicken noodle soup but so much better for you, the environment and animals alike. I try my best not to use oil in my cooking although sometimes I just cant avoid it. Thankfully this recipe does not call for oil. My kids loved it as did my husband and my parents. So if its a chilly day and you are looking for a great easy recipe for dinner for your family, look no further!

Not Chicken Noodle Soup

Takes roughly 30 minutes

1 white onion minced

4 cloves of garlic minced

2 carrots cut into quarters then diced

1 can of white kidney beans (can also use great northern beans)

6 stalks of celery diced

1 bay leaf

8 cups of veggie broth

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp sage powder

2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup fresh parsley

2 cups of chickpea pasta (I used Banza from Costco-I love it!!)

3 cups of fresh spinach cup into small pieces

In a large soup pot that is non stick (If you aren’t using non stick you may need about 2 tbsp of olive oil) cook onions and garlic until translucent. Add in the carrots, celery and all spices but bay leaf. Cook for about a minute until you can really smell the spices. Add in the kidney beans (don’t forget to rinse them first!) and the broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. As this is cooking, cook pasta in a separate pot until just barely soft then remove and drain but do not rinse. Add in pasta, spinach and parsley to soup. Taste to see how spices are and add more if needed (especially salt). Bring back to boil and cook for about 5 more minutes to wilt the spinach and finish the pasta. Serve!