Rustic tomato soup

 

Everywhere around me people are sneezing and coughing - yep, it's that season again and I am fighting back with this nutritious tomato soup. I always make soups by a bucket full and then freeze some of it for those emergencies when you come home from work hungry and don't know what to cook. I adore simple, no-fuss soups which you can make with the ingredients you are likely to have at home at any time.

 

This soup is so easy to adapt to your own liking - try adding coconut milk for a creamier taste or different vegetables for a more wholesome soup. You could replace lentils with potatoes and use different herbs, dry or fresh. You could add garlic as well of course, I've left it out but it would be a perfect addition to the vitamin shot you'll get with this soup. I sure hope this soup will work its magic!

Rustic tomato soup 

(serves 4-6)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

small knob of ginger

1,5 kg tomatoes, cut in quarters

3 tbsp red lentils

1 cup vegetable stock

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

2 handfuls of fresh basil

1 tbsp raw honey

freshly ground black pepper

(coconut milk, optional)

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and grated ginger and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

2. Add tomatoes and sauté for a further few minutes. 

3. Add the lentils and the vegetable stock, bring to boil and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

4. Add the herbs, honey and freshly ground black pepper. Using a stab mixer, puree the soup until smooth. Add some coconut milk if you want a creamier taste.

5. Serve with wholegrain or gluten-free bread.