Feel Good Yogurt Soup

I like to think that I am always trying to create healthy, made from scratch food but being January, I guess I think about it a little more.  This soup is full of goodness, loaded with healthy ingredients, and is as comforting as any creamy soup would be.  It is my version of Turkish Yogurt Soup.  The yogurt gives it a nice tangy flavor that I would liken to a Greek Avgolemono Soup.  It's a little vacation in a bowl.

Buckwheat Groats:
A few months ago, I was wandering up and down the isles of my ethnic grocery store and found several brands of buckwheat groats. I love looking at the different items in that store, especially if they aren't in English. It's like a game for me. What is it? What can I make with it? Wonder how it tastes? We also have a fantastic Asian grocery store not far that I love to wander through as well. These are my field trips since I can't travel right now. I spend so much time in these stores that they probably think I'm casing the joints. 

So buckwheat. It is the hulled seed of the buckwheat plant. It is full of vitamins, protein, and antioxidants. It is easy to make and very versatile. You can use it anywhere you would use other grains like barley, rice, or quinoa. It has a slightly nutty and smoky taste. It has become my new favorite groat and works nicely in this soup.

Yogurt Soup with Buckwheat & Chickpeas
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1 cup water

1 cup yogurt (plain)
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons flour
1-15.5 oz. can chickpeas
4 cups of vegetable broth 
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Parsley, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 medium shallot, sliced

In a saucepan, place 1/2 cup of buckwheat groats and 1 cup of water over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cover for approximately 5 minutes.  They are done when the water has evaporated and the groats are soft and expanded. Let cool.  

In a stockpot, whisk together the yogurt, egg yolk, and flour. Now slowly whisk in the vegetable stock to combine.  Add the cooked buckwheat, drained chickpeas and heat over medium stirring occasionally.  Do not boil.  You want to gently heat this soup.  Add the zest and juice of one lemon and salt and pepper to taste.

While to soup is heating make the oil.  In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of olive oil with 1 garlic clove and 1 sliced shallot.  Heat until the garlic starts to brown and the shallot rings begin too crisp up.  Remove and discard the garlic clove but save the shallots.

Drizzle the shallots and oil over the soup and sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley or dill.  Enjoy!