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Quick Tomato Soup

February 10, 2014


With the construction going on with my bathroom and boxes all over the house, I have been in need of some major comfort food.  My mom has oh so lovingly pointed out that I’m not the one doing the physical labor, so why all the stress?  When you’re putting so much money into something and then you’re stuck with it for decades, it generates stress.  For me, at least.  I have a tough time making styling and decorating sort of decisions, and I spent probably two months staring at tile before making a decision.

Quick Tomato Soup

All of this stress means one thing: comfort food.  For me, comfort always comes in the form of a grilled cheese.  I don’t always have tomato soup with my grilled cheese, but when I have a craving for it, it’s mandatory.  No exceptions.  This wasn’t an issue when I was regularly buying tomato soup, but canned soup isn’t something I like to keep around anymore.  I, however, have no qualms about buying diced tomatoes in bulk.  So when a craving for tomato soup strikes, canned tomatoes are what I reach for.

 Tomato Soup

Apparently the stress of everything has also kept me away from the grocery store.  My mom also kindly pointed out that all I had in my fridge was mushrooms (5 containers of mushrooms, to be exact) when she was scavenging for lunch while tearing out my bathroom.  You can see in the pictures, that we used pita bread for our grilled cheese.  While this was out of necessity today, I’ve made grilled cheese like this since I was a teenager.  The pita gets soooo crispy on the outside, almost pita chip-esque and it’s delicious.  Not important for making the soup but a good life decision if you’re looking for something to drunk in your soup.

 

Quick Tomato Soup
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

Ingredients
  • ½ onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 – 15 oz cans diced tomato or 28 oz can diced tomato (organic and/or natural, preferred)
  • 1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped (or any fresh or dried herbs you have on hand)
  • ½ c vegetable broth
  • ⅔ c tomato sauce
  • 1 – 2 tbsp. sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
  1. Mince the onion and garlic.
  2. In a saucepan over medium heat (spritz with nonstick spray or line with a little bit of water), sauté the onion and garlic.
  3. When the onion and garlic are soft, add the canned tomatoes, broth, and oregano.
  4. Cover and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes.
  5. Reduce heat and let cool slightly.
  6. Remove the cover and blend with an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender at the end of cooking.
  7. Add the tomato sauce and sugar, increasing if your tomatoes are particularly tangy. (If you haven’t blended yet, this would be the time for it)
  8. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Notes
I served mine with a drizzle of truffle oil on top. A small amount of extra virgin olive oil or flavored oil will provide more richness and depth.

Nutrition Information
Serving size: about 1 c Calories: 80 Fat: 1 Carbohydrates: 18 Fiber: 4 Protein: 3

 

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11 Comments
    Balsamic Tomato Soup | Hidden Fruits and Veggies Jan 30, 2015

    […] a pantry well stocked with versatile ingredients. Normally, I used canned diced tomatoes for my soup cravings but somehow found myself out of my #1 go to ingredient. I dug out a can of tomato paste, an […]

    Ally @ Om Nom Ally Feb 13, 2014

    While it’s true you’re not doing the labour, it’s often the disruption and invasion of our space that makes these events so stressful!
    The tomato soup looks delicious and I hope it hit the spot 😀 When is all the work due to be finished?

      Kelly Feb 13, 2014

      Ally, the soup definitely hit the spot! They just finished putting in my vanity and grouting yesterday, but there’s probably two more days of work + painting the walls yet.

    Casey (@saltedplates) Feb 11, 2014

    Growing up a grilled cheese pita was my favorite thing to order at the greek style diners in the detroit area. I haven’t had one in so long but now I am craving one!

      Kelly Feb 12, 2014

      Casey, did you grow up in Michigan too? Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure I’ve had a pita grilled cheese at a Coney Island type place before.

    cheri Feb 11, 2014

    We renovated our whole house a few years ago and I have to tell you it was the most stressful thing. Comfort food is a must.

      Kelly Feb 11, 2014

      Cheri — your whole house at one time or a bit at a time? I can’t decide which would be worse! Having constant construction for several months or having contruction everywhere for a few weeks — definitely not something I envy! Though, it’d be nice to have shiny new things everywhere all at once 🙂

    Joanne Feb 11, 2014

    Home construction requires comfort food for sure! My coworker is doing some work on her new apartment right now and I can tell you, the stress coming out of her is palpable! This soup is the ultimate in comfort food.

    Gretchen @ Two Healthy Kitchens Feb 10, 2014

    I love tomato soup. It is totally comforting, and something we eat often at home. It is so simple – and the absolute perfect compliment to grilled cheese!

    And speaking of grilled cheese, my dear … that grilled cheese pita is GENIUS! (I know, go ahead and shake your head in disappointment. I have never had one that way!) I cannot wait to try it – and the possibilities! Oh the possibilities!!

    Whenever we have a work project going on at home, my husband tries to leave town. Honestly. He will plan a quick business trip to try and stay away from it. Years ago in our starter home, we had a total kitchen remodel done – by the wrong contractor. It was a terrible experience, and our lawyers ended up duking it out. Shoddy craftsmanship and just poor planning – the guy didn’t stand a chance. Ugh. I shudder at the memory. I still enjoy the home-reno process, and our new home has been fun to customize. I’m crossing my fingers for a new kitchen soon! 🙂

      Kelly Feb 11, 2014

      Gretchen, Josh had never had a grilled cheese in a pita either, so I was thinking I’m the weird one lol.
      Luckily, my contractor is my uncle, so I know I can trust he’ll do a good job. When I bought my house, they had just remodeled the kitchen, so I think I’m stuck with mine for a while, but it’s nice to dream about, right?

    Em @ Love A Latte Feb 10, 2014

    Oh home construction. I’m the opposite. I basically picked the first tile I saw and liked because I couldn’t handle all the options haha! Luckily it turned out very pretty. It’s totally stressful when your house is under construction. Ours was a mess through the holiday season. This soup looks great! I LOVE quick/simple recipes!