Tomato Soup

The weather can be unpredictable in the Spring. This weekend we had a few beautiful, sunny days, and then the clouds came in. The mix of the cooler weather and the need to detox after all the Easter candy, called for this tomato soup. It's light, healthy and will warm you up on a chilly day. I like to make a big batch and save the extra for an easy meal that I can heat up again during the week.

Ingredients:

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
• 1 medium carrot (peeled and diced)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
• 1 Tbs. fresh chopped oregano
• 1 tsp. fresh chopped thyme
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the cherry tomatoes evenly on a baking sheet and toss them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for approx. 35 minutes until then are shriveled with a few brown spots.
Meanwhile, in a pan, heat a little olive oil and saute the onion and carrot with salt and pepper until the onion is translucent. Then, add the garlic, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes and saute for another minute or so. Next, add the canned tomatoes and their juices along with the roasted tomatoes, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the basil, then cover the soup and allow it to simmer for 30 - 40 minutes. Using an emersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with croutons and a basil leaf on top.