Soup Kitchen

I seem to be stuck on making soups for lunch lately, huh?  This weeks lunch is a super healthy homemade soup I adapted from Mrs. Paula Deen.  She used Chicken broth (ick, trust me, once you use vegetable stock, chicken stocks and broths will gross you out), so I adapted it to a vegetarian version by using Vegetable Stock instead.  Also added in some red pepper flakes for heat, and topped the soup with feta cheese for a natural salty bite at the end.

This dish is much more tasty than salty, over-processed, canned soup varieties.  Nearly pure vegetables.  Its filling and delicious.

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

2 Large Red Bell Peppers, seeded and cut into strips
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup chopped Onion
4 cloves of garlic, minced
10 medium fresh from the garden, or on-the-vine tomatoes from store
1 cup Vegetable stock
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

Topping: Feta Cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 450.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange peppers on prepared sheet pan in a single layer.  Bake 15 minutes or until tender and browned.

Meanwhile, in a dutch oven or large soup pot heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic, and saute 5 minutes or until onions are tender and transparent.  Add chopped tomatoes, and saute until softened, about 5-10 minutes.  In the container of a blender, add tomato mixture, peppers and chicken broth; process in batches, until smooth.  Return soup to Dutch oven.  Add salt, basil, oregano, and peppers.  Stir in balsamic vinegar.  Heat until desired temperature to serve.

Top with a little bit of feta cheese, if desired.

Note: If you have never put hot liquids in a blender before, beware.  Only fill blender half-way full. The hot liquids will expand some when blended.

This soup is a perfect example of Michael Pollan's Food Rule, number 14:

"Eat foods made from ingredients you can picture in their raw state or growing in nature." 

Today's soup? Check!