Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato is the perfect warm and comforting meal for a rainy autumn day. The creamy soup, which is a slight variation of a recipe from SimplyRecipes.com, boosts a hint of curry and spice to complement the vegetables. Furthermore, the flavor of the vegetables is dramatically enhanced by roasting them in the oven until they are perfectly caramelized. Finally, to achieve the ideal soup consistency, half of the vegetables are puréed to velvety smoothness with the remaining vegetables being stirred in for the perfect texture.

Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Soup
Gluten Free
Serves Three (as a main course)

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs roma tomatoes, (about 7), tough stem point removed, and tomatoes halved lengthwise
1/2 lb carrots, (about 2 medium carrots) cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium eggplant, (about 1 lb), cut into 3/4-inch chunks
3/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2- 2.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. dried parsley
Coarse salt and ground black pepper



1. Preheat oven to 425°F, with racks on top and bottom of the oven. On one rimmed baking sheet, toss together tomatoes, carrots, garlic, 1.5 tsp. oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread out vegetables on the baking sheet in a single layer, with the tomatoes cut sides down.

2. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss together the eggplant, chickpeas, curry powder, cumin, chili powder,remaining 1.5  tsp. oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Place both baking sheets in oven (tomato mixture on the top rack). Roast until tender, about 45 minutes, tossing the mixtures halfway through.

3. Using tongs, peel off and discard the tomato skins.

4. Transfer tomato mixture (including juices) to a large pot. Add 1 cup of chicken broth. Use an immersion blender to   puree  mixture until smooth.

5. Stir in the eggplant mixture, 1 more cup of broth, and dried parsley. If soup seems too thick, add additional broth, a couple tablespoons at a time.

6.  Bring soup to a slow boil over medium- high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low, and let soup simmer 5-8 minutes or until ingredients are heated through. Season with additional salt and pepper or spices, if necessary.


Nutrition Information--approximately 245 calories per serving ( 1/3 of the recipe)