The Soup Diva

• 1 small (12-16 oz) HOMESTYLE bag frozen meatballs
• 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 small can pureed pumpkin
• 1 box chicken or beef broth
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 yellow or red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp dried or fresh parsley
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Dash of chili powder or sauce
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Cook 4-6 hours in crock pot on high or 45 minutes on stove top (until vegetables are done). Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream. Serve over cooked rice, couscous, or lentils if desired.
You can easily make this a vegetarian dish by omitting the meatballs and using vegetable broth; adjust the liquid content as needed.

To cook couscous in the microwave:
2 cups couscous
3 cup water, stock or low-sodium broth
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Stir well. Cover and cook 3 minutes or until boiling; let sit covered 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.

I first served this soup at Girl Scout Thinking Day for our office staff!