1 tsp olive oil (can use more if you want, I find any more doesn't make a difference)
3 red/yellow/orange peppers
1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
14.5 oz light chicken broth (or water)
28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tps herbs de provence
3 tbsp splenda (optional)
1 tps salt
pepper to taste
(also optional: to make it "creamy" add 1/2 cup Fat free half and half - adds 160 calories to total recipe)
this is the only lengthly part:
Cut peppers in half (de-seed etc) and lay skin up on tin foil on a tray (foil helps with clean up_
broil for around 15 min, or until skins blackened. (easiest way: move oven rack as high up as it goes and turn to broil. if no broil option, just turn ovan up high until peppers are cooked and skins moderately blackened.)
Once roasted, put in zip lock bag for 10 minutes (helps skins seperate from pepper so you can pull them off really easily. also it helps to throw them in the freezer to quicken up the cooling so you don't burn yourself peeling them)
once cool enough the skins will slip right off the peppers.
this is the only lengthly part:
Cut peppers in half (de-seed etc) and lay skin up on tin foil on a tray (foil helps with clean up_
broil for around 15 min, or until skins blackened. (easiest way: move oven rack as high up as it goes and turn to broil. if no broil option, just turn ovan up high until peppers are cooked and skins moderately blackened.)
Once roasted, put in zip lock bag for 10 minutes (helps skins seperate from pepper so you can pull them off really easily. also it helps to throw them in the freezer to quicken up the cooling so you don't burn yourself peeling them)
once cool enough to peel with your hands, the skins will slip right off the peppers.
While pepper cooking, mince 3 cloves garlic, heat soup pot with oil and add garlic.
chop onion and carrots and add to oil and garlic and cook about 5 minutes or until onions start to get tender.
Add herbes de provence.
(while this is cooking, peel peppers and slice.) (stir a bit to make sure nothing burning on the bottom)
add in chicken broth, peppers, and canned crushed tomatoes. bring to a boil (with lid on)
toss in splenda, (to taste if you want it) salt and pepper and let simmer for around 20 min or so.
(if you want to add the Fat free cream, do so after you let it simmer)
in 2 sections puree soup until smooth and thick.
yields 8 1 cup servings
(also good is to grate some cheese to melt on top..i use the 75% reduced fat cabot chedder and it melts and tastes great)