SS&GF: Simply Sugar and Gluten Free

Though I consider Dallas my home, I’m originally from Columbus, Ohio -a third generation Buckeye though I don’t understand football at all.  There are things called ‘seasons’ in Ohio that don’t happen in Texas.  My soul hasn’t yet let go of the hope of seeing the leaves change for more than a week or two, and my internal clock says it’s time to start making soup.

If you call my mom anytime from now until March and ask her what she’s been doing, making soup will be on the list.  Cauliflower soup, tomato soup, and endless variations on chili.  She makes enough to give to friends and family, and takes it to work to feed her friends.  Her potato soup has even become a Christmas tradition in our family.

It’s funny that I don’t realize how much I’m like her until I sit down to write about what I’ve been cooking.  What have I been doing?  Making soup. And lots of it.  Enough for friends and family, and I’m even going to send some for my husband’s friends at work.

Soup is really one of the simplest dishes to make.  I use an immersion blender to puree the ingredients.  If you don’t have one, they’re inexpensive – maybe$30.  This way I don’t have to transfer the soup to my blender or food processor to get a smooth consistency.

Cinnamon may seem like a strange ingredient for tomato soup.  Just a tiny bit is enough to enhance the sweetness of the tomatoes and you’ll never taste the cinnamon at all.  These very simple ingredients create fabulous flavor with little effort.  And of course, it’s naturally sugar free and gluten free.

Let’s talk about what you cook as the seasons change and, yes, if you make soup tell us about that too.

This post is linked to What Can I Eat That’s Gluten-Free.

Printer-friendly recipe

Tomato Basil Pantry Soup
serves 8

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus some chopped basil for garnish
4 cups chicken stock or store bought low sodium chicken broth
2 – 28 oz. cans of peeled whole plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Melt the butter and heat the olive oil in the bottom of a 6 quart heavy stock pot over medium low heat.  Add onion and cook for 10 minutes until onions are soft, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and cook for another 3 – 5 minutes.  Add cinnamon and basil.  Cook for 5 minutes until flavors from basil are released.

Add broth and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.  Continue to simmer partially covered for about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.  Puree soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a food processor.

This soup can be served hot or chilled.  Garnish with fresh chopped basil before serving.

To chop basil, roll several leaves together tightly and chop at an angle into thin strips.  This makes a very pretty garnish.

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