It’s so easy to eat well and eat healthy. We just need to think outside the box. I used to be hungry all the time and since I have been cooking my own meals at home I’ve realized the constant hunger was actually lack of fiber. I always try and make all of my food at home with the freshest ingredients.  Here is my recipe for homemade tomato soup with Arugula Salad and Crostini.

Tomato Soup

10 large vine tomatoes

5 stalks of celery

2 shallots

1 whole garlic

6 fresh basil leaves

2 tbl spoons paprika

Chop celery, shallotts and garlic into pieces, and saute in an olive oiled pan until El Dante, add fresh basil. Bring a large pot of water to boil, dip your tomatoes into the water until the skin cracks and remove from the water, you will notice the skins of the tomatoes come right off, remove all skins, place the skins in a separate bowl and cut your tomatoes in quarters, I always core mine first with an apple core, add to the garlic, celery, basil and shallots.

After all your ingredients have mingled, take all the ingredients from the pan and puree in a food processor or blender,  if your using a blend be sure to not fill to much or it will spill up under the lid. Doing a little at a time is best. Blended ingredients go into a soup pot. Your almost done, at this stage I add the paprika and sometimes if you have some add a little brags seasoning. Let simmer on low for 15 min.

Mushroom Arugula Tomato Skin Salad:

You have the left over skins, no point in letting them go to waste, I take mine and put them in my food processor blend them with seal salt. I leave those sit and I saute mushrooms in a pan, I place my arugula leaves in my bowls, top with the mushrooms a spoon full of my tomato skin puree and grate a little vegan or Asiago cheese on top. I dress with a little olive oil and balsamic.

Crostini:

I cut a fresh baguette into slices, place on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with sea salt and balsamic and broil for 8 minutes or until crisp. Great For dipping in your soup.