Who Doesn’t Love Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese?
When Sundays are rainy and dreary, I turn to the warmth and comfort of a tasty soup. I love making soups in the winter! They are so easy to make (especially when using your immersion blender), it lasts for days, freezes well, and it’s so easy to sneak in all those nutrients so your kids don’t even know they are eating them! Homemade tomato soup is a staple in our home and in my “soup rotation”. The fancy grilled cheese on the side is that added comfort, which will make your taste buds explode, especially when dipping into the soup… yuuumm. This Roasted Creamy Tomato Soup is loaded with nourishing nutrients and the magic combination of vegetables, protein, fiber, and healthy fats. This recipe includes beans for the protein, but feel free to swap for ground turkey, ground grass-fed beef, or sausage!
Roasted Creamy Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
Soup Ingredients:
4 Tomatoes (fresh)
2 cans of peeled whole tomatoes
6 cloves of garlic
2 red onions
2 tablespoon of dried Italian spices (oregano, basil, parsley)
3 cups of spinach
Cup of fresh basil
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
16 ounces of baby carrots
15 ounces of garbanzo beans (low sodium)
16 ounces of vegetable/chicken broth (low sodium)
1 cup of plain oatmilk, almond milk, or whole milk (your preference)
Grated pecorino romano cheese for garnish
Directions:
To roast the veggies: Set oven to 400 degrees and line two roasting pans with aluminum foil. Quarter the fresh tomatoes and onions, and place in pans. Place the canned tomatoes in the pans (save the juice). Keeping the peel on 4 garlic cloves, cut just the tips off and wrap aluminum around it, keeping the tip exposed, and then place in a pan (a trick to roast garlic from my Italian grandfather!). Drizzle the veggies with olive oil and sprinkle with the Italian herbs. Roast for about 45 minutes or when veggies are just slightly browned.
While the veggies are roasting, dice the remaining two garlic cloves and sauté with olive oil in a large soup pot for about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté another 3 - 5 minutes. Add the juice from the tomato cans and about a quarter of the broth. Let the liquid come to a boil and then simmer to soften the carrots.
Add the roasted veggies to the soup (the garlic should easily slide out from the skin). Put in about half of the remaining broth, spinach, and half of the fresh basil, then stir.
Keep the heat on low and let the vegetables cook for about 10 minutes. Add the garbanzo beans and let cook for another 5 minutes. When the spinach has wilted and the carrots are soft enough, use an immersion blender to puree the soup (you can use a blender also).
After the soup is pureed, let it come to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Add the remaining basil (chopped) and the milk to the soup, then stir. Add more broth to get the consistency of your liking! Chop the remaining basil and add it to the soup. Let the soup cook - the longer the better!
When you are ready to serve, top each bowl with a sprinkle of the pecorino cheese!
Fancy Grilled Cheese
Ingredients:
Multigrain bread
Shredded cheddar cheese
Goat Cheese Crumbles
1 Tomato (sliced)
1 Avocado (sliced)
Basil
Directions:
On a slice of bread, sprinkle a layer of the cheddar cheese. Add a tomato slice, a couple of avocado slices, and a few pieces of basil. Next, sprinkle the goat cheese on top, and then complete the sandwich with a slice of bread on top.
Make as many sandwiches as needed and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the sandwiches on the pan and place in the oven to a broil on low. Let it broil for a couple minutes or until the bread is lightly browned, then flip to the other side. Use a spatula to press on the sandwich, so the cheese sticks to the bread. After the other side is lightly browned and cheese is melted, remove from the oven!
Enjoy your meal by dipping your fancy grilled cheese into the soup!
Nutrient Information:
Tomatoes: a beta-carotene (in the lycopene family) with strong antioxidant power, which studies have shown to lower the risk of depression, improve skin health, and lower the risk of cancer and heart disease
Carrots: another beta-carotene antioxidant (antioxidant power actually increases when cooked), with alkalizing benefits (keeps the blood pH levels in balance)
Basil: a tasty herb that has anti-inflammatory properties and full of antioxidants; has been linked to blood sugar regulation, lower blood pressure, and improve mental health
Beans: packed with protein, fiber, folate, potassium, and phytates (natural compounds that have been noted to improve your immune system and inhibit the growth of cancer cells), regulates blood sugar, insulin levels, and cholesterol. Some researchers recommend eating at every meal!
Spinach: these dark leafy greens have been called the healthiest food to eat due to its antioxidant properties and being packed with nutrients like protein, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and folate. It helps support hair, skin, and bone health as well! The benefits go on and on!
Onions and garlic – vegetables in the allium family with special properties that block cancer cell growth, contain powerful antioxidants and sulfuric compounds that fight bacteria
Avocado - a monounsaturated fatty acid, (a healthy fat that might actually protect against the effects of saturated fats), loaded with potassium and high in fiber, folate, and B-vitamins. Research has shown it can lower LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and fight against cancer, particularly breast cancer. It’s antioxidant properties are also great for your skin! You should eat them everyday!
