Creamy Tomato & Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

• 10 large tomatoes, diced
• 6 large Carrots, chopped
• ½ cup Fresh or Frozen Onion, diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 cups 2% Milk, heated
• 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Black Pepper, ground
• ¼ tsp Chili Powder
• ¼ tsp Paprika
• Olive oil and butter (butter optional)
• OPTIONAL: Fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Prepare fresh ingredients
2. In a heated skillet, melt 1 Tbsp butter or heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sautee garlic & onion until golden brown.
3. In a large soup pot, drizzle olive oil on the bottom of the pot then add tomatoes. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil (total oil use ~1/4 cup). Cover and allow to simmer for 1 hour.
4. Once browned, add carrots, chopped onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and paprika to tomatoes. Simmer for 2 hours on low.
5. To create a thicker, smoother soup, use an immersion blender or pour soup into a food processor. Blend to desired thickness.
6. Simmer for another 30 minutes, adding fresh basil leaves.
7. Remove basil leaves and enjoy.

 
Additional serving option: Pour over Slow-cooker Beans & Rice; top with cotija cheese and scallions
 
Based off of: https://foodandnutrition.org/november-december-2015/cream-tomato-soup/