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I've been reading about postpartum nourishment lately, and the main themes are warm foods that are rich in fats and proteins. We're talking about soups and stews - that kind of thing. These are foods that are easily digested, warming and full of nutrients. It also naturally happens to be the time of year for soups and stews, so this post is really for everyone!
I have a delicious tomato soup recipe that I've adapted to make it my own over the years. It has bacon, folks, so yes, you're going to want to make this one. You can make this soup your own by adding or omitting different vegetables or protein options like legumes, spinach, squash, nuts and stewed beef or chicken. It is a thicker soup, so the one thing I wouldn't recommend adding is pasta. I've also changed it a bit to make it gluten-free which is necessary in our home, plus it's already dairy-free!
I like to make soup at least once a week for dinner in the fall and winter. It really warms us up, and it's so great to have leftovers for lunch the next day! This recipe makes a good sized batch (we have leftovers even with 6 in the family), but you can easily double or triple the recipe and freeze some in individual portions.
If you have a new baby at home, this soup is super easy and relatively quick for your helpers to prepare. If you plan to eat when baby eats - which is a great plan when you have a newborn - you can put some soup into a mug and sip on it while your baby is nursing.
Homemade Tomato Soup
4 strips of bacon, chopped into small pieces
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coined
1/3 head of cauliflower chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp cornstarch (optional)
1 can of diced tomatoes with herbs and spices
1 carton of low-sodium chicken broth
Place bacon in a large soup pot and cook about halfway then drain off excess grease. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil and chopped onion. Cook onion until it starts to brown then add the carrots and cauliflower and cook until they just start to soften. Add tomato paste until it becomes fragrant then add the cornstarch and stir. Cornstarch will thicken the soup a little - if you prefer a runnier soup, then omit.
Lastly, add the diced tomatoes and broth, stir and bring to a boil. Once boiled, simmer until veggies are cooked. At this point, I remove the pot from the heat and use a hand blender to puree the soup so there are no chunks. Alternatively, you can puree in a blender in small batches. I like a smooth soup with no chunks, but you can make it however you prefer! I find there are enough spices in the can of tomatoes that I don't need to season this soup at all - but of course you should season to your own tastes.
Enjoy this one, and let me know what you think!
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