Tomato and White Bean Soup

        I had such a taste for soup today.  I went grocery shopping this morning for my in-laws and one of the items on their list was soup.  Yes, it would have been "soup"er simple to buy a can and heat it up when I got home, but for me, it's more rewarding to make the soup from scratch.  I ran through a mental snapshot of what I had in our pantry and fridge, and knew exactly what kind of soup I wanted to make; tomato and white bean.  Why soup on a hot day during the month of July?  Why not, is what I say!  The best part of this soup is not only that it's filling and delicious, but takes no time at all!  I started making it as soon as I got home, which was around 11:30, and I was ready to eat by noon.  

    I normally add in lots of veggies too, but didn't have everything on hand that I would normally add, so added onions, carrots, tomatoes, and a baby kale mix.  Another great thing about this soup is it's basically dump and stir, let is simmer for a bit, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 c. baby carrots, diced (we often get these in the free lunches from the school district)
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 8oz cans tomato sauce
• 2 c. beef stock or water
• 1 c. baby kale salad mix
• 1 tsp dried basil and oregano
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Add oil to a medium dutch oven or pot on medium heat.
2. Add garlic, onion, and carrots.  Saute, stirring frequently to not let the garlic burn.  Saute until the onions become translucent.
3. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil.  Stir.  Saute for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add diced tomatoes and sauce.  Stir until well combined.  Add stock or water.  Check seasonings and adjust accordingly.
5. Bring to a low boil, then turn heat down to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir periodically during the 10 minutes.  Add baby kale mix and simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes.  You are now ready to enjoy!  

Feel free to serve with your favorite grilled cheese, a side salad, or as an appetizer to your pasta dinner.  Any leftovers would be a great base for a pasta sauce.  You may need to thicken it a bit.  

Want it creamy?  Add some heavy cream or half and half while it's simmering.  I have added oat milk before too as this recipe can be all dairy free.