Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach and Chick Pea Soup

Whether it's Winter or Summer, there is nothing like a nice bowl of hot soup on a rainy day! I started off making this Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach and Chick Pea Soup for lunch one afternoon. It looked fantastic with the chunks of roasted tomatoes, fresh wilted spinach and whole chick peas, but it tasted a little on the bland side. I didn't want to add salt or cheese, so I pureed all of the ingredients instead.

It's amazing how just pureeing something can give it an entirely new flavor. Everything blended nicely together and this recipe turned into a heart healthy, creamy soup I could put in a cup and drink instead; which is a HUGE time saver when I'm trying to do other things at the same time!

Vegetarian Roasted Tomato, Spinach
and Chick Pea Soup

Prep Time:   15 minutes                        Yield: 5

Cook Time:  20 minutes                        Serving: 1 c. 

Total Time:  35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Beefsteak or Heirloom Tomato, chopped
• 2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
• 1-150z. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 c. Fresh Baby Spinach, rinsed, stems removed
• 2 c. Fat Free Vegetable Broth
• 1 c. Water
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes until they start to soften. 
3. Heat the oil  in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat; then add the onion and garlic. Saute 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent. 
4. Add in the basil, spinach, chick peas and cooked tomatoes and saute for another 2-3 minutes. 
5. Stir in the broth and water, bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. 
6. If you like a "brothy" soup, leave whole. If you prefer it blended (like I did), use your immersion blender to blend all of the ingredients together until smooth; approximately 1-2 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 94, Carbs 14.3g, Fat 2.4g, Protein 4g, Fiber 2.9g, Sugar 1.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!