Meatless Monday : Tomato Soup

Fall is here finally. The weather is cooling off. What better way to celebrate than with soup? I love this soup! It goes great with grilled cheese or fresh whole grain bread. Plus, it's a great way to use up some of those extra tomatoes from the garden.

Tomato Soup

2 TBSP butter

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 sticks celery, chopped

1 carrot, grated

1 tsp. oregano

1 1/2 tsp. basil

1 bay leaf

28 oz canned or 2lb fresh tomatoes, chopped (if you use fresh, I recommend removing the skins)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

pepper

2 c. hot water or veggie stock

Heat the oil in a large pan. Saute the all veggies, minus tomatoes, until soft. I usually chop all of my veggies and tomatoes in the food processer for a smoother soup. Stir in the herbs and cook for about 2 min. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add stock or water. Return to boil. Simmer for 20 min. And of course, enjoy!

Variations: For creamier soup, replace 1/2 of the water with milk. Add at the end of the cooking time, heating through without boiling.

You may also add grain (bulgar, barley, etc.) for a heartier soup.