Tomato and White Bean Soup

“A first rate soup is more creative than a second rate painting”. – Abraham Maslow

I love cream of tomato soup but the addition of sugar and cream makes it kind of heavy on the conscience. As I was searching for gluten free ways of thickening soups for a friend, I stumbled upon this idea of thickening soups with white beans. After a successful experiment I have come up with a low calorie, gluten free recipe for a spicy, creamy tomato and white bean soup that I’ve fallen in love with now. Enjoy without guilt !

For Tomato and White Beans Soup :

6 medium tomatoes, skins removed, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup white beans
1 stick cinnamon
2 pods black cardamom
1 green chilli pepper
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon red chilli pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

This Is What You Do :

Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat, sauté onions till opaque. Add the rest of the ingredients, add 5 cups of water. Reduce heat to low, let it simmer till the beans are really soft, almost 45 minutes. Spoon out the cardamoms and cinnamon stick. Pour the stew into an electric blender, whiz till smooth.You can pour it through a sieve if you desire a creamy texture or have it a little chunky. Serve hot with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or a spoonful of plain yogurt and chopped fresh herbs of your choice. Enjoy !