Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

I still have fond memories of a steaming hot bowl of tomato soup and a buttered roll after a long walk or run in the freezing cold.  These days the amount of soup choices are many and varied but sometimes I just have to go back to Tomato soup.  This roasted tomato and red pepper soup is an enhanced version of a favourite warming lunch.

I like to use a mix of cherry tomatoes and larger vine-ripened tomatoes but will go with whatever is in the fridge and needs to be used.  Also because I am not a huge fan of red peppers my recipe is more tomato based, but you can, of course, double or triple the amount of red peppers to your own taste.  The soup can be made a couple of days in advance and can be frozen.

Both Tomatoes and Red Peppers provide a healthy serving of immunity boosting nutrients.  They are a fantastic source of anti-oxidants especially beta-carotene and vitamin C, both are especially high in lycopene, which gives them their vivid red colour.

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cooking time:  40 minutes
Serves: 2 and a tiddler 

Pre-heat your oven to 220°C, 200° fan, gas 7

Ingredients

600g Tomatoes
1 large red pepper, halved and de-seeded
1 red finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons of tomato purée
1 litre of homemade vegetable stock
Sea salt and black pepper

Arrange the red peppers and tomatoes in an oiled roasting tin and give a good swirl in the oil coating them all.  Season with a little salt and pepper.  Roast for around 20-25 minutes until soft.

Gently fry the onion until soft then stir in the tomato purée and combine well.  Add the roasted peppers and tomatoes, then add the stock.  Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes.  Leave to cool before blending until smooth, season as necessary.

Lovely served with Seeded Thins spread thinly with coconut oil, my favourite oil!

Nutritional Info:

Tomatoes - Vitamins A, B3, B5, B6, Biotin, Folic Acid, C, E, K, beta-carotene, Lycopene, Calcium, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc.

Red Peppers - Vitamins B3, B6, Biotin, Folic Acid, C, E, K, beta-carotene, Lycopene, Calcium, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc.

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