Creamy Tomato Soup

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Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cups raw cashews OR 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped.
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 4 cups fresh tomatoes or one 28-ounce can

Directions

1.  Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and saute until browned and tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and cook another 1-2 minutes until fragrant and garlic starting to brown.
2.  Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, salt, several generous grinds of black pepper. Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Drop the heat until the soup simmers and cook for 8 minutes.
3.  If you are using cashews, soak cashews in 1/4 cup boiling water for at least 10 minutes (even better to soak for a few hours). Then put into mini food processor or blender and blend until makes cream,. f not creamy ( mini chunks), heat it in water longer, then try again.
4. Use an immersion blender or transfer soup to a conventional blender. Add the 1 Tablespoon olive oil or the cashew cream and puree until smooth. Taste and add more red pepper flakes, salt, and/or black pepper if desired. If the soup seems too thick, add more water and blend again.
5. Ladle into cups and top with fresh basil.