EASY ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP
My garden has been fruitful this year, especially with "volunteer" cherry tomatoes. The great KY weather today, indicating that fall is just around the corner, had me craving soup. This soup is YUMMY, especially when served with a tasty crusty bread.
Here's the recipe I used from "The Mediterranean Dish" recipe blog: Tomato Basil Soup
A "volunteer plant" is a plant that grows on its own without being deliberately planted. "Volunteers" can enter your garden in several different ways. Seeds can be:
-Dropped by a previous plant
-Transported by birds
-Blown in by the wind
-From homemade compost that has been added to the garden soil
If you have Netflix, don't miss "Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones." Blue Zones lessons include:
-Eat Mostly Plants
-Don’t overeat
-Have a purpose
-Maintain close relationships
-Control stress
-Stay moving
What I did differently and clarifications:
-Used nearly 3 1/2 pounds of tomatoes from my garden including some cherry tomatoes
-My carrots weighed 6 oz
-Did not use oil
-Used sweet onion and after chopping measured 2 cups
-Did not have fresh basil so used 1 tsp dried
-Did not have fresh thyme so used 2 tsp dried
-Reduced water to 2 cups in step #6
-Did not add optional splash of lime juice
-Since I did not use oil, I roasted the tomatoes and carrots on a parchment lined baking sheet without salt/pepper. Roasting took 40 minutes
-Did not need to add water when processing the tomatoes in the food processor
-Dry sautéed the onion, adding a splash of water when it wanted to stick. Caramelized them and then added the garlic and cooked for a minute. (I did this while the tomatoes were roasting.)
-When adding the spices, I added 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt
-Simmered covered for a few hours, stirring regularly. Carefully pureed the soup about half way through using my immersion blender
-Since I did not use oil, I felt like it needed some fat. I peeled and removed pit from a 7 oz avocado. Pureed the avocado with 3/4 cup water in a Vitamix blender until smooth. Added this to the soup about the last hour of simmering.
