Roasted Tomato & Black Bean "Cold Buster" Soup

I have a cold.  Congestion, sore throat, earache, headache... the works.  Instead of turning to cold medicines, I decided to combat this illness through diet.  I googled "cold fighting foods" and came up with a delicious-sounding list: red peppers, tomatoes, spinach, garlic, onions, and a whole variety of spices.  I played around with a few ideas and ended up deciding that what I really wanted was a nice bowl of soup.  I decided to add in black beans for some protein power, and here's what I came up with.  I hope you enjoy it!  Note:  As I stated above,  I have a cold.  My senses are dulled, so this recipe might contain much stronger flavors than I would usually prefer.  If you don't have a cold, you might want to taste-test along the way and adjust to make sure this soup isn't overpowering.  : )

ROASTED TOMATO & BLACK BEAN "COLD BUSTER" SOUP

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
4 cloves garlic
Several sprigs fresh rosemary
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2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Several fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed
2 cups chopped frozen spinach
2 cups vegetable broth
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Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
5-6 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Halve tomatoes and place in an 8" x 8" glass baking dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.  Arrange in dish, cut side down, along with 4-5 whole garlic cloves and several sprigs of fresh rosemary.

3.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours.  Enjoy the delicious aroma (even with a cold, it was strong enough to smell!) while you do something else around the house.  ALTERNATE OPTION:  If you don't want to spend 90 minutes waiting for your tomatoes to roast, you can substitute a 15 oz can of chopped tomatoes.  I usually use canned tomatoes in soups, but since I was seeking strong flavor in this recipe, I opted to roast the tomatoes. I think it was worth it!

4.  About 5 minutes before the tomatoes are done, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large pan.  Add onion, pepper, and garlic.  Cook 6-8 minutes, until the onions begin to brown, stirring occasionally.

5.  Add a few fresh rosemary leaves, if desired.

6.  Stir in spices.  Add beans, spinach, roasted tomatoes, and broth.  Bring to a boil; cook for 2 minutes.

7.  Remove 1 1/2 cups of soup.  Place in food processor and pulse until smooth.  Pour back into soup and stir.

8.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with feta cheese and chopped basil.

9.  Enjoy, and get well soon!  I know I hope that I do!

Gather ingredients.

Halve tomatoes and place in an 8" x 8" glass baking dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.  Arrange in dish, cut side down, along with 4-5 whole garlic cloves and several sprigs of fresh rosemary.  

Bake for 1 1/2 hours and remove from oven.

Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large pan.  Add onion, pepper, and garlic.
Cook 6-8 minutes, until the onions begin to brown, stirring occasionally.

Add a few fresh rosemary leaves, if desired.

Add beans, spinach, roasted tomatoes, and broth.  Bring to a boil; cook for 2 minutes.

Remove 1 1/2 cups of soup.  Place in food processor and pulse until smooth.
Pour back into soup and stir.

Add salt and pepper to taste.  Top with crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil.  

Enjoy!