Creamy Tomato Soup

One of the few cream of anything soups I can get people around here to eat is Campbell’s Cream of Tomato Soup.  Unfortunately, one of the first ingredients is high fructose corn syrup. Really.   Which got me thinking I could maybe take a stab at a healthier version.

So, I started with, obviously, tomatoes.  Turns out, there is a reason they add corn syrup. It was pretty bitter.

So I got more tomatoes and tried again.  I added roasted garlic and sweet red bell pepper, then dumped in some celery seed and a bit more powdered garlic. Genius!  Or not.

Unfortunately, I went a bit overboard with the add-ons, and created something that could not only get rid of a vampire, it would wipe out the whole casts of Vampire Diaries, Interview with a Vampire, Buffy,  Twilight, and Dracula( all remakes).

It made my eyes water, and my throat burn and that was only smelling it.  My friend, who is pretty game to try just about anything, and loves garlic, took a taste and practically ripped her own tongue out to get rid of the taste.  Some people just don’t listen to warnings.

She had been all:” Maybe you could freeze it and add it to pasta sauce.”

And then she tasted it, and was all :”Let’s maybe google how to safely get rid of toxic waste.”

After I safely disposed of that batch ( rubber gloves, a gas mask and a ten-foot pole may have been used), I dialed it back a bit, and and think I hit upon a happy medium that may not be as sweet at Campbell’s, but it also won’t make everyone within a half mile radius ask: “Dear God, what is that foul odor?”

I even got Tim’s stamp of approval on the final product!

Ingredients:

• 3 packs grape tomatoes
• 1/2 large or 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 head garlic, separated, paper removed
• 6 (large) shallots, roughly sliced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup silken tofu
• 3/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (depending on how much heat you like)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. Toss tomatoes, garlic cloves, red pepper and shallots in oil, celery seed, salt, thyme and crushed red pepper.  Put on pan and roast for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are blistered, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven and cool.
3. Put tofu in a high speed blender and add tomato mixture. Purée  till creamy.  Taste and add additional salt and some pepper to suit your taste. Put in a pot and reheat on stove to serve.

Enjoy!