Creamy Tomato Bisque

I made this Creamy Tomato Bisque because after my honey and I returned home from our road trip to Chicago he had a bit of a sinus cold. Nasty really. Coughing, sneezing, stuffy nose, the whole bit.

I put him on a prescription of lots of orange juice, vitamin C tablets, and lots of rest. Then my honey started talking about this Tomato Bisque we had on the trip for dinner one night and how yummy that would be. He went on and on. 

So I did what I do best; I headed to the kitchen to recreate that bisque. At the restaurant I had done my usual smelling, tasting, and then smelling again and I was feeling pretty confident.

It turned out even better than the resturant style bisque, but that's my own opinion. So it's sort of slanted.

However, what happened the next day after we ate the Creamy Tomato Bisque is fact and it was nothing short of miraculous. 

My honey was cured. 

Literally. 

No longer stuffed up, no sinuus head ache, just a small lingering "Kermit the Frog" voice. 

And this soup isn't just 'sick people' food. It is light, creamy, and full of flavor. Not to mention easy to make. All you need is a food processor and a crock pot. If you don't have either you can also use a blender and a large soup pot.  

Hey, it's all good in love and cooking. And the tomato, herb, cream flavor is worth the few minutes it takes to put this together. You'll probably thank me. 

And if you don't that's okay, you'll be too busy slirping down every last bite! 

Now on with the recipe! 

Creamy Tomato Bisque

1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Medium White Onion
1 Cup Baby Carrots; Chopped
2 Celery Stalks; Chopped
4 Cloves Garlic  
28 oz Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
 32 oz Fat Free Chicken Broth, Canned or Homemade
1/4 Cup Prepared Garden Fresh Pesto (or your favorite)
6 Ounces Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Reduced Fat Sour Cream

Shredded Parmesan Cheese and extra fresh basil for serving (optional)
1. Chop onions, carrots, celery and garlic into large pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the vegetables are smooth. I processed in batches because my food processor isn't huge. Add the canola oil to a large skillet (or your slow cooker if it has saute mode). Add the pureed onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook stirring often until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Then transfer the vegetables to a 7 quart slow cooker set to high heat. 
2. Pour the tomatoes into the food processor and process until they are smooth. Add them to the slow cooker and stir well to combine.

3. Then add the chicken broth, pesto, and tomato paste. Stir together using a wire whisk to ensure everything is incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Leave the crock pot on high for an hour to two hours and then switch it to low heat for 4-5 hours.  

4. In the last 30 minutes of cooking stir in the sour cream and cook until heated through, another 20-30 minutes.

5. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated cheese and fresh basil if desired.


Servings: 6


Nutritional Skinny:

207 calories / 5.4 g fat / 17 g carbohydrates / 3.6 g fiber / 9.6 g protein

 Mental Health Tid Bit: Tomatoes are loaded with vitamin C and A making this a great meal to combat those winter germs during these transitional months. Not to mention the colder weather seems to beacon us towards indoor activities and lots of warm soups that we can gently cup in our hands and slurp mercilessly in the comfort of our own living rooms. No one else is watching just the fly on the wall the the bottom of an empty soup bowl.