*healthy* recipe of the week -- tomato basil soup

Is it cold where you live?

It's REALLY cold in Nashville right now. I'm not too thrilled.

However, it means that I get to try out some new cold-weather recipes. And since one of my goals for the year is to find one new healthy recipe each week to try out in the near future, I thought I'd look for something healthy-ish.

Tonight Anthony was coming over and I told him I'd get a rotisserie chicken to make sandwiches out of (not a whole lot better there!). And then I told him that I'd found a great tomato soup recipe to have with the chicken sandwiches.


That's when he told me the jaw-dropping fact that he doesn't. like. tomato. soup.

Omgosh.

I told him I still want tomato soup, so to pick another side for me to cook.

He picked Sun Chips. I was beyond cool with that. "Cooking" them means opening the bag my parents sent home with me after Christmas!

Anyway, on to the tomato soup.


The basis of this recipe is from this food network recipe. I made it much, much easier though, which I'm definitely a fan of!

Homemade Tomato Soup

1 can fire roasted tomatoes
(the fire roasted bit is important. original recipe calls for fire roasting your own tomatoes. I said why bother!)
swish of extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, Italian spices of your choice
various chopped veggies
(the recipe calls for celery, carrot and onion. I chose to buy the "trinity mix" of pre-chopped celery, onion and green pepper. worked just as well)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 chopped basil leaves (or torn, which is my preference)
1/2 cup cream
(optional--even lighter without it I'm sure but I definitely prefer it!)

Heat olive oil in saucepan over med-low heat. Add veggies and garlic, cook until softened or about 10 minutes.

in my world, that means walk into the living room and talk to the boyfriend, check on farmville, and then remember that you took the can opener to A's parents house on New Year's and you have NO IDEA where that bag is...

Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaf (if you remembered to buy one...because I didn't), and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15-20 minutes.

again, if you're me, in between this step you've taken the saucepan off the heat because you're still looking for the darn can opener oh, and when you DO find the can opener? add the tomatoes et al, and then reorganize the silverware drawer where you'll find not one, but two extra handheld can openers...

Add basil and cream, if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.

or...if your immersion blender is broken because you may or may not have immersed it too far when cleaning it last time, attempt to use the gizmo your parents bought you once upon a time which is a poor substitute at best, but at least gets it smoothish. And add "immersion blender" to your Target list.

So...was it worth it?



You bet.

It'll be a LONG time before I open a can of tomato soup again.
(and Anthony even tried a bite and claimed it "more bearable" than most other tomato soups he's had. I'll take it)