Tomato Basil Soup

   I know, I know. I've been on a horrible hiatus from posting. Pregnancy can be a nasty beast while at the same time being an incredible miracle. But for me, it's more of a nasty beast in it's earliest form. And while I'm not hitting up the McDonald's drive-through anytime soon, it can be awfully hard to eat well when pregnant. So I while I have my glorious not-so-good for you food moments, I still try to make gems like these when a craving hits.

   For weeks I've wanted grilled cheese and tomato soup. I have had a strange craving for anything tomato basil as of late. So this recipe sort of fulfilled that craving without having to break down and eat the nasty Campbell's Soup ( BPA laden sodium filled crap you get out of a can-.DO NOT EAT THIS)

    And while it's sort of a cheat of a recipe as tomatoes are not quite in season in my neck of the woods, ( Have you started your own veggie garden or signed up for a CSA yet?) I am sure there are other delicious ways to roast fresh tomatoes to use in recipes in the future. Don't worry, I will keep you posted. Looks like this craving is here to stay. That and I may have planted too many tomatoes this season already....

Recipe:

1 can 28 oz organic crushed tomatoes w/ Basil ( I used Muir Glen- But make sure to check the label on the back as they only started producing BPA free cans after 2012)
4 organic Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tsp unrefined virgin coconut oil
4 cups filtered water
1 tsp coarse sea salt
cracked black pepper
5 fresh basil leaves
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano Cheese

Directions:

1.) In a sauce pot, saute garlic, onion, coconut oil, cracked black pepper (generous), and sea salt.

2.) Once onions are translucent, add in crushed tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add in fresh tomatoes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

3.) Towards the end of the simmer, add in fresh basil and oregano so it is lightly wilted.

4.) Transfer soup to a blender and add in Romano cheese. Blend on high until smooth. Serve with toasted bread or grilled cheese.

Grilled Cheese:

How do you not know how to make this??? Butter two slices of bread, place cheese inside, grill both sides. Eat.

Here's what I use:

Food for Life 7 Sprouted Grains Bread (Frozen food section)
Applegate Organics Mild Cheddar Cheese slices ( refrigerator section)
Organic Valley Cultured Butter