Ingredients
2, 16 ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
3 plum tomatoes, diced
3 celery stalks, finely diced
3 scallions, sliced thinly
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
8 basil leaves, chiffonade (shredded)
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 3 lemons
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1. Combine the chickpeas in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients. Toss well and taste for seasoning.
2. Serve at room temperature or chilled. (This recipe can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Nutrition Information Per Serving
Calories 162
Carbohydrate 25 g
Fat 6 g
Fiber 9 g
Protein 5 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Sodium 452 mg

Ingredients
2 cups dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
14 to 16 cups water for soaking and cooking the chickpeas
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 pound Canadian bacon
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 large yellow onions, diced, about 3 to 4 cups
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 cups escarole or swiss chard, cut into fine strips or chopped into strips about 1 inches wide and 3 inches long
2 to 3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup small pasta shells or macaroni

Instructions
1. Pick over the chickpeas and remove any stones or debris. Rinse and soak the chickpeas overnight in 6 cups of water in the refrigerator. Drain and rinse again. Place half of the chickpeas in a small pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, skim, then reduce heat and cook until done, about 50 minutes. The chickpeas shouldn't be mushy, but not al dente either! Drain and toss with a little good olive oil and set aside.
2. Place the other half of the chickpeas in a larger pot with two cloves of garlic and one large onion, diced. Add the Canadian bacon and cover with about 4 cups of water, enough to submerge all of the ingredients. Bring up to a boil, skim, then reduce to a simmer until very, very soft. Puree the contnts of the pot in a blender to create the soup base.
3. In a large saucepan, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the other chopped onion over low heat for about five minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add the chopped escarole or Swiss chard. Stir until the greens wilt and are somewhat tender. Combine the cooked greens, the reserved chickpeas, and the pureed soup base. Add enough stock to thin, about 2 to 3 cups. Adjust seasoning. I like this soup to be pretty peppery. You may not need much salt because of the Canadian bacon.
4. Cook the pasta in 4 cups of lightly salted water, until al dente. Drain and then add to the hot soup. Serve imediately. Garnish with grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese.
Note: You can make this soup with white beans too.
Serving Size: 1 bowl

Nutrition Information (per serving)
Calories 258
Carbohydrate 28 g
Fat 10 g
Fiber 6 g
Protein 14 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Sodium 665 mg

Ingredients
about 4 cups Basic Chicken Stock (see recipe), or low-sodium canned
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onions
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly shelled peas

Instructions
1. Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep hot over low heat.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a separate medium-sized pot. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion turns translucent.
3. Add the rice to the onion mixture and stir.
4. Turn the heat to low, add about 1 cup of the hot stock to the rice mixture, and stir slowly until the stock is absorbed.
5. Continue to add the stock 1 cup at a time, stirring slowly, letting the rice absorb the stock before adding more.
6. While the risotto is cooking, blanch the peas in boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Drain.
7. The risotto is cooked when it is creamy on the outside and slightly firm (al dente) in the center. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and half of the peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the risotto is too thick, add a little more stock until it becomes creamy.
8. Divide the risotto into serving dishes and sprinkle with the remaining peas.
Serving Size: about 1/2 cup

Nutrition Information
Per Serving
Calories 314
Carbohydrate 51 g
Fat 6 g
Fiber 3 g
Protein 11 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Sodium 393 mg