Donna’s Roasted Red Pepper Soup

The first thing you notice about this soup is the gorgeous color and then you will discover a fantastic sublet flavor. The bonus is that it is full of healthful ingredients.

3 large red peppers* 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed 6 cups fat-free chicken broth, divided 3/4 teaspoon ground thyme 2 bay leaves 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped or 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes salt to taste dash ground red pepper dash ground white pepper freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream, optional

*Preheat broiler. Grease a baking sheet. Remove stem, inside white membranes, and seeds from peppers. Cut into quarter. Place skin side up on baking pan and press down on them to flatten. Place baking pan on top shelf of oven nearest the broiler. Broil until the skin is completely black and blistered. Remove peppers from the oven and place in a paper bag. Close bag and let peppers steam for 5 – 10 minutes. Remove from bag and peel off all of the blackened skin. Discard skin. Set pepper aside.

In a large soup pot, heat oil. Add onions and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add sweet potatoes, 4 cups of the broth, thyme, bay leaves, and reserved peppers. Bring to a boil. Partially cover pan and continue to boil gently until potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaves and discard. Using a hand held immersion blender, process the soup until smooth. Add tomatoes and cook until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through. Add additional broth to thin to desired consistency. Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Make 12 cups.

*Roasted red peppers can be purchased in a jar if you prefer.

Serves 6

Nutritional Information per serving:

Calories: 110 Fat, gm.: 1 Protein, gm.: 3 Carbs, gm.: 21 Cholesterol, mg.: 0 Fiber, gm.: 3.6