Returning to clean eating with homemade tomato soup

After two weeks of enjoying a lot of delicious food whilst on holiday I need to kick start a return to clean eating. I love making warming and filling soups from fresh veggies, and this basic tomato soup is definitely one of my favourites. The basic recipe is so easy it can be adjusted in so many ways depending on what happens to be in the fridge, or how hot and spicy I want it. If I want super heat I leave the chilli in when the rest of the ingredients are blended together, but usually I take it out and slice it so it is less potent. A dollop of low fat protein like creme fraiche, soured cream or even cream cheese helps with feeling fuller for longer too. Even better news is that it is incredibly simple to prepare, requiring the bare minimum of attention and labour.

Ingredients

• 10-12 vine ripened tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 onion in large chunks - I am using a spring onion here as it was what happened to be to hand
• 1 red chilli (optional)
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• Handful of fresh herbs - parsley, basil or coriander
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 300ml stock
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• optional - 1 tbsp low fat soured cream or creme fraiche

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. In an ovenproof dish toss together the tomatoes,onion, chilli and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast these together in the oven for about 15 minutes.
   
   
   
   
3. Stir in the tomato puree and herbs. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
4. By now everything should be soft and juicy. Take the dish out of the oven and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Let the vegetables cool down and marinate in the dish for 30 minutes.
   
5. At this point I remove the chilli. Instead of blending with the other ingredients I remove the seeds and slice it. The slices are used as a garnish at the end for a little extra kick.
6. Using a blender puree the ingredients together with half of the stock. Keep adding stock until you have your desired consistency.
   
7. Transfer the soup to a saucepan and warm it over a medium heat until it is hot.
8. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, and a dollop of low fat soured cream for some filling protein.
   

What is your go to recipe for clean eating?