Recipe: Tomato Basil Alphabet Soup (using leeks and canned diced tomatoes)

TOMATO BASIL ALPHABET SOUP

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped leek (white only), rinsed well
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 cans (14 1/2 oz each) reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup vegetable alphabet pasta (Eden Foods)* or any small whole-wheat pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add leek, celery and sugar and cook 3 minutes, until tender. Add thyme and cayenne pepper and stir to coat.

Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and add diced tomatoes. Puree until smooth; return puree to stockpot. Place the pot over high heat, add broth and bring mixture to a boil. Stir in pasta and cook 3 minutes, until pasta is tender.

Remove from heat and stir in basil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper; ladle soup into bowls and serve.

*Eden Organic Vegetable Alphabets: durum-wheat with beet, spinach and carrot powders.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Score per serving (2 cups): 212 calories, 12% fat (3 g; <1 g
saturated), 71% carbs (38 g), 17% protein (9 g), 5 g fiber, 34 mg calcium, 1 mg iron, 1,037 mg sodium.

Source: Shape magazine: Healthy Meals Special, Summer 2005 and Shape magazine, March 2004