Fall Trifecta: Comfort Food, Easy Family Meal, Packable Lunchbox Option

Back to School (AKA lunch packing) season is upon us…fall is coming, whether we like it or not! Here in Davidson, NC, it’s still pushing 90 degrees, but there was one cool and rainy day last week that felt “fallish”. I LOVE summer, but when this time of year rolls around, I am always ready for some coolers temps, cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice everything, and warm soup! We discovered this FIXATE recipe when my 9 year old chose it from our “75 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids” resource. He brought Spaghettio’s in a thermos every day last school year for lunch, and this year, I was looking for a healthier option. I love when healthy recipes fit my own health goals AND are family friendly!

For our test run, we made this soup, sans basil (because…green things). I used an immersion blender to puree it, and we served it for family dinner with made-to-order grilled cheese. The kiddos had just plain old bread, butter, and American. Hubby had his with ham and cheese. Mom made hers with Dave’s Killer Bread, muenster, avocado, and a slice of tomato. This was a totally hit and will most definitely be in our regular dinner rotation…if you double the recipe, it doubles as meal prep!

I am ALL for quick & easy, especially when we’re talking about packing school lunches, and this was almost as easy and quick to make as heating up the canned version. The cool part? This had half the sodium, 1/3 of the sugar, and no added artificial sweeteners or preservatives. Using high quality San Marzano whole tomatoes will cut down on the need for added sweeteners…they are naturally sweeter!

I doubled the recipe to keep in the fridge for thermos lunches, and I’ve been packing grilled cheese, cut into strips to dip! Tip: If you make the grilled cheese early and let it cool completely, it will stay crispy-ish in a lunchbox wrapped in wax paper or foil!

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

SERVES: 4 (1 cup each) Prep Time: 15 min.

CONTAINER EQUIVALENTS (per serving): 1 green, 1 teaspoon

Cooking Time: 25 min

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1⁄2 cup chopped onion (approx. 3⁄4 medium onion)

1⁄2 cup chopped carrots

2 tsp dried basil

1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, pureed

1 1⁄2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or low-fat milk)

3 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth

1⁄4 tsp. sea salt

8 tsp Parmesan cheese

8 Tbsp sliced fresh basil leaves

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute
2. Add carrots, onion, and dried basil; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
3. Add tomatoes, broth, & salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low; gently boil for 15 minutes.
4. Blend soup in blender in small batches or with an immersion blender. Blend until smooth.
5. Add almond milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through. Do not boil.
6. Evenly divide soup into 8 serving bowls. Top each portion with 1 tsp parmesan cheese and 1 Tbsp fresh basil (if desired); enjoy.

RECIPE NOTE:

If you are making this soup for kids, puree the soup well so that there are no little green bits and no large pieces of onion and garlic, which some kids can find off-putting.

This recipe is easy to double and freeze or keep for lunches throughout the week!