Roasted Tomato and Leek Soup

Puréeing white beans into this soup gives it a creamy texture and has the added bonus of bumping up the fibre content. Leeks are a good source of iron, magnesium, vitamins A, C, K, and B6, and can also help stabilize blood sugar levels.

2 1/2 lbs (1.25 kg) tomatoes, cut in half and stem ends removed
3 leeks, trimmed, washed, cut in half, and each half cut into 4 pieces
6 garlic cloves, still in their skins
2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock or chicken stock
1 cup (250 mL) cooked white beans (optional)
Fat-free sour cream or Greek yogourt, for garnish
Fresh basil, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).

In large bowl toss together tomatoes, leeks, garlic cloves, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Spread out on rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft and starting to brown, about 1 hour.

Transfer garlic cloves to small bowl and roasted tomatoes and leeks to large saucepan. Squeeze roasted garlic from their papery skins and add to saucepan. Stir in stock and beans (if using) and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook soup for 20 minutes.

Purée soup in blender or with immersion blender. Alternatively, soup may be only partially blended, resulting in a chunkier texture.

Can be made up to a week in advance and kept in the refrigerator or frozen.

Just before serving, bring to a simmer while stirring over medium heat. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a few basil leaves.

Serves 6.

Each serving contains: 170 calories; 6 g protein; 5 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 27 g carbohydrates; 6 g fibre; 325 mg sodium

from "Onions, Garlic, and Leeks!", alive #354, April 2012