HEALTHY FOOD so TASTY you'll
want to eat it EVERYDAY.
RECIPE: ROASTED TOMATO & RED PEPPER SOUP
Roasting the tomatoes and red bell peppers in the oven brings out the natural sugars in the veggies and also gives this soup a deep, rich flavor. No butter or cream needed!
Perfect for a light lunch with a hunk of crusty bread to soak up the soup you can't reach with the spoon.
PREP TIME: 10 min
COOK TIME: 90 min
Allow 45 min in the oven to roast the veggies, then another 45 simmering on the stove
If you have a Wonderbag, 5 min simmer on the stove (after roasting), then leave the pot in the bag a few hours or all day!
SERVES: 6
INGREDIENTS
Cherry tomatoes, red bell peppers, olive oil, TASTE OF TUSCANY spice blend. Click here to buy.
TO ROAST THE VEGGIES:
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750 g cherry tomatoes, cut in half
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2 red bell peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
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1 sachet TASTE OF TUSCANY spice blend
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3TBSP (45 ml) olive oil
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Salt to season
TO FINISH THE SOUP
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1 TBSP (15 ml) olive oil
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1 onion, diced
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4 cups (1 liter) chicken or vegetable stock (boullion)
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1 tsp salt
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Further salt and pepper to taste
OPTIONAL GARNISHES
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Fresh basil, sliced in ribbons
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Parmesan cheese, shredded
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Toasted bread with buffalo mozzarella (top photo)
ROAST THE TOMATOES & PEPPERS
Preheat oven to 400F / 200C
Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, TASTE OF TUSCANY spice blend and 3 TBSP olive oil to a large bowl and mix well.
Transfer to an oven-proof dish, crack a bit of salt over the veggies and cook, uncovered for 45 min.
Mix the tomatoes, bell pepper, TASTE OF TUSCANY spice blend and 3 TBSP olive oil.
Pop it in the oven.
Ta Daaa. In just 45 mins.
COOK THE SOUP
WONDERBAG METHOD
1) Heat a 2 ½ quart (3 liter) pot on medium-high. Add 1 TBSP olive oil and your diced onion. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are soft.
2) Add the roasted veggies, stock (bouillon), salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
3) Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes
4) Seal your lidded pot in the Wonderbag and leave to cook for a minimum of 45 minutes (best to leave it 3-4 hours, or all day, the flavours develop the longer you leave it).
CONVENTIONAL METHOD
1) Heat a 2 ½ quart (3 liter) pot on medium-high. Add 1 TBSP olive oil and your diced onion. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are soft.
2) Add the roasted veggies, stock (bouillon), salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
3) Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
4) Stir occasionally.
SERVE
When ready to serve, turn off heat (or remove the pot from the Wonderbag), and puree the mixture into a smooth consistency using a hand/staff blender (or transfer to a food processor or drinks blender).
FOR A LIGHT LUNCH
Garnish as desired with parmesan cheese and fresh basil, and have a few whole grain bread rolls on hand to dunk or mop up the delicious last bits!
Garnished with parmesan and basil.
FOR A BEAUTIFUL STARTER/APPETIZER
Toast a few thick slices of crusty whole grain bread, top with buffalo mozzarella and then melt the cheese under the broiler/grill in your oven. Place in the middle of a shallow bowl and pour the soup around it. Garnish with fresh basil.
FOR WARMING SNACKS
Ladle soup into mugs, stir in some parmesan cheese and top with fresh basil. Makes a super yummy, healthy snack for you, your friends, or your kids and their friends when they come in from the cold!
Recipe & Photo Credit: Cathy Menees
Recipe & Photo Credit: Cathy Menees
COOKS NOTES
INGREDIENTS
I use 1 ½ tsp of salt when cooking, but this will of course vary by how salty (or not) your stock/boullion is.
GARNISH
While this soup is delicious on it's own, a tiny bit of parmesan goes a long way in adding a ‘rich’ taste and diced chives gives a nice fresh bite to the soup.
KITCHEN BUDDIES
The Wonderbag is ideal for fresh vegetable soups to enable a slow cook and retention of flavor and nutrients (i.e. you're not opening the soup to stir, so all goodness is trapped inside).
I use a staff mixer to puree the soup directly in the pot (vs. transfering to a food processor or blender).
