Tomato Basil Soup

Makes 2 servings, 8 ounces of milk per serving.

Ingredients

8	ripe plum tomatoes or 1 16-oz can of tomatoes (drained)
1	medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon	olive oil
2	cloves garlic, crushed
1 pinch	ground red pepper
1 tablespoon	chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
2 cups	fat free or lowfat milk
2 cups	fat free or lowfat milk
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

Directions

In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the ripe tomatoes for 10 seconds. Transfer to colander; cool slightly. Peel off skin. Cut tomatoes in half; remove seeds and chop. In a medium saucepan cook the onion in olive oil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the chopped tomatoes. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 20 minutes. (If using canned tomatoes, decrease cooking time to 10 minutes.) Spoon 3/4 of mixture into food processor or blender container; puree until smooth. Return to saucepan. Add red pepper, basil and milk to the soup. Heat until hot but do not boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition

220 calories; 7 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 12 g protein; 30 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 145 mg sodium; 295 mg calcium (30% of daily value).

Nutrition figures based on using fat free milk.