Tomato and Chickpea Soup

I found this recipe on Delish, MSN's food corner. I like it because it could easily be done either in the crockpot or stovetop, but even on the stove it's a quick study! The chickpeas add extra heartiness, and you can easily substitute rice for the pasta to make this a complete protein-rich dish. You can also substitute vegetable broth to make this a Vegetarian treat! They recommend to use good-quality whole plum tomatoes for the best flavor. I found that this made a lot more than the 4 servings noted in the original recipe too...

Spices not in your rack? I substituted the sage, salt and pepper with about 1 tbsp of Mrs Dash, and it was yum :)

Tomato and Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:
7 cup(s) canned tomatoes with their juice (two 28-ounce cans)
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cup(s) canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock (or veggie stock)
2 cup(s) water
1/2 teaspoon(s) dried sage
1 3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
3/4 cup(s) ditalini or other small pasta
2 cans (15 oz) drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
1/3 cup(s) chopped fresh parsley (or 2-3 Tbsp dried parsley)
1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground black pepper
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions:
1. In a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes with their juice. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
3. Add the pureed tomatoes, the sage (and parsely if you use dried), broth, water and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and chickpeas. Bring the soup back to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley, pepper and the 1/3 cup grated Parmesan. Serve topped with additional Parmesan.
Total Cost:
Canned Tomatoes - $1.78
Olive Oil - $0.16
Onion - $0.30
Garlic - $0.10
Spices - $0.15
Chicken Broth - Free!
Pasta - $0.15
Chickpeas - $1.05
Parmesan - $0.40

Grand Total - $4.09 for 8-10 servings