Recipe: Curried cream of tomato soup with apples

Dietitian's tip: Curry is a combination of spices that can include cumin, pepper, chili peppers, ginger, onion, cinnamon, paprika, cilantro or tumeric. This soup has a sweet — not spicy — taste. If you prefer a more chunky soup, don't blend in the food processor or blender.

SERVES 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon curry powder, or to taste
3 cups canned tomatoes, drained
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup long-grain rice
6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup fat-free milk
1 1/2 cups apple cubes

Directions

In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery and garlic. Saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, black pepper and rice. Stir constantly while bringing to a boil. Add chicken broth. Return to boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes. When rice is tender, remove the bay leaf.

Pour the soup into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pot and add the milk and apple cubes. Cook until heated through. Ladle into warmed individual bowls and serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis

(per serving)

Calories	218	Cholesterol	4 mg
Protein	8 g	Sodium	444 mg
Carbohydrate	35 g	Fiber	4.5 g
Total fat	6 g	Potassium	349 mg
Saturated fat	1 g	Calcium	84 mg
Monounsaturated fat	3 g