Well the groundhog has spoken (so to speak). There’s going to be 6 more weeks of winter so why not have some yummy, healthy, creamy goodness to keep you warm and full I made this for a crowd when family came into town last weekend and it was a hit!
1 clove garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 can stewed Italian tomatoes
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil and herbs
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tbsp. dried or 1 bunch fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 – 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup milk (I used original almond milk)
In a large pot heat 1 tbsp. of the olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Add garlic, onion and celery and cook until onions are translucent. Place cooked vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, and basil in a food processor until pureed. Pour pureed mixture back into the pot and add the broth, agave nectar, tomato sauce and milk. Stir to combine and allow to simmer on low while you make some good old fashioned grilled cheese sandwiches for dipping!
*Tomatoes are a great source of antioxidants found in Lycopene. Usually fruits and vegetables are considered healthiest when eaten raw, but not tomatoes. These guys can take the heat! When you cook a tomato or sun-dry a tomato it actually enhances those nutrients, i.e. 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes has 12 times the amount of antioxidants compared to a whole raw tomato.
* What’s so great about agave nectar? Agave nectar is a sweetener like honey but it is a low glycemic sweetener. www.theglycemicindex.com explains it best:
See how good agave nectar is in my Stuffed Baked Apples!
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