Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

You may have noticed that sometimes in my recipes I list "organic"

 and sometimes I don't.

Truth is, I use organic as often as possible

depending on availability.

I choose organic as my best, first choice.

The reason my recipes don't always say organic

 is because I'm lazy to type the word over and over.

So whether it says organic or not,

you can assume that I mean organic.

Just being honest here :)

This soup is a favorite in our household

and I hope you enjoy it too!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

4 (14 oz) cans organic diced tomatoes (or 4lbs fresh)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 stalks celery - diced
3 carrots - diced
3 yellow onions - diced
6 cloves garlic or shallots - minced
3 cups chicken broth
3 bay leaf
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 - 14oz cans organic coconut milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Strain the chopped tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt & pepper to taste. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Roasting the tomatoes brings such a rich tomato flavor to this soup!

While the tomatoes are roasting, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium low heat. Add the celery, carrots, onions, and garlic and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth and bay leaf. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and coconut milk. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth. (You can also blend in small batches in traditional blender or food processer) I use the immersion blender stopping just before it's totally smooth. We like the texture of the tiny bits of vegetables, but it's totally up to you how smooth to make it.