Spicy Chickpea Soup

I just visited a great restaurant with a good vegetarian menu over the weekend. It is Farmicia and is located here in Philadelphia. If you have never been there and are in the area, they are definitely worth checking out. While there, I had the best chickpea soup I had ever eaten, so of course I had to recreate the recipe when I got home. Here is what I came up with and it tastes pretty close to what I had at the restaurant and a lot healthier I am sure! It's Indian inspired and can be spicy or not depending on your taste. It's the perfect soup to warm you up this time of year. Please try it out and let me know what you guys think. Here it is:

1 small onion
1 red bell pepper
1 small zucchini
2 cans tomato sauce (no salt)
2 cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas, no salt)
3 cups water
1 tsp whole fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander (ground)
2 tsp cumin (ground)
1/2 tsp red pepper (optional, ground)
salt (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)

Sweat (cook over low heat) onions, peppers, zucchini, and fennel seeds until vegetables are translucent. Add tomato sauce, water, garbanzo beans, cumin, coriander, and red pepper (optional). Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add any salt and pepper. Serves 6 -8, don't worry though I finished the whole pot in one night with only one other person! It's that good!