Tomato And Carrot Soup
Tomatoes and carrots are rich in antioxidants, in particular beta-carotenes and lycopene. Beta-carotenes are the building blocks of vitamin A, which is important for good vision and reducing inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema or acne. Consuming adequate amounts of lycopene has been shown to lower the risk of developing colon, breast, prostate, lung or skin cancers. It also decreases the risk of macular degeneration, which is responsible for loss of vision, and lowers the risk of developing heart disease. An awesome list of benefits!
Ingredients
1 tbsp coconut or grapeseed oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
4 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 x 400 g (14 oz) tin of chopped tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes (blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped)
750 ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) vegetable stock
1/2 tsp
Celtic sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Serve with chopped basil or oregano, Greek-style yoghurt and a few chopped baby tomatoes
DIRECTIONS
Warm the oil in a saucepan on a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic and carrots. Cover with a lid and allow the vegetables to sweat for approximately 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes, stock, salt and a few grinds of pepper, then replace the lid and bring the soup to the boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer and cook with the lid off for a further 45 minutes, so the flavours intensify as the soup reduces.
Give it a stir every few minutes.
Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly before blitzing in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Gently reheat the soup, if required, before serving topped with a spoonful of yoghurt, chopped tomatoes and a sprinkling of herbs.
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