Super tomato soup
Who doesn't like a hot cup of soup! As the weather cools and warm foods beckon, there is nothing quite like a bowl of hot soup to help you shake off the worries of the day. And if you don't have to stand over the stove for hours to make that hot soup, all the better. Here is an easy and healthy recipe for tomato soup! I served it with cheesy garlic bread and roasted asparagus!
1 large onion, coarsely chopped or thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, put through a garlic press or peeled and minced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon curry powder (if you like curry)
1 teaspoon dried basil, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes or about 6-7 fresh tomatoes. Why would you use canned if you find fresh tomatoes that look like this !
4 cups vegetable stock
salt
Put the pot on the stove, turn the heat to medium, and carefully add the oil or butter. If you are familiar with a pressure cooker, you could use one. It cuts the cooking time drastically!
After the butter has melted, add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, curry powder, and if you are using dried basil, the basil. Cover the pot and cook the vegetables until they are tender, about 10-15 minutes, using the spatula to stir them occasionally.
Turn the heat to high and add the tomatoes and their juice, the stock, and bring it to a boil.
Once the pot is boiling, lower the heat to low, and cook the soup with the lid partially ajar for 1½ hours. Stir the soup occasionally as it cooks to make sure it’s not sticking. Alternatively, pressure cook for about 3 whistles.
After 1½ hours, use the slotted spoon to remove the soup solids very carefully and put them into a food processor or blender. You could just use an immersion blender as well.
If you are using fresh basil, add it now. Gradually add the broth and process or blend the solids until completely smooth. Now use a spoon to taste the soup, and see if it needs more curry or more basil or a little bit of salt.
Serve the soup right away, or store in a lidded container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
To make it creamy: use ½ cup less stock and in its place add ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt right before you serve the soup.
My kids ate this for dinner and asked to take it to school for lunch as well :)
Until next time.....XOXO.
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