Heating
tomatoes helps make the cancer-fighting carotenoid lycopene more available to
the body. Because lycopene is fat soluble, cooking tomatoes in a little oil
helps the body absorb even more of this potent antioxidant.
TOMATO-DILL
SOUP
- 12 ripe tomatoes (about 5 pounds), halved lengthwise
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 15 large sprigs dill
- 1 navel orange
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups homemade or reduced-sodium store-bought chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
- Spicy Croutons (see below)
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side up, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Roast until softened, about 30 minutes. Let cool and peel off skin.
- Tie 13 dill sprigs into a bundle with kitchen twine. With a vegetable peeler, remove a 2- inch strip of orange zest. Squeeze juice from orange.
- Heat oil in a medium pot over low. Cook garlic and onion, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, dill bundle, reserved orange zest and juice, 1¼ teaspoons salt, and the water; season with pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Discard dill and zest.
- Working in batches, puree soup in a blender or food processor, filling no more than halfway each time. (Alternately, use an immersion blender.) Stir in vinegar, then let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
- Divide soup among eight bowls; garnish each with 1 tablespoon yogurt. Snip remaining dill over soup; serve with croutons.
per
serving: 100
calories; .5 g saturated fat; 1.9 g unsaturated fat; .9 mg cholesterol; 17.3 g
carbohydrates; 3.9 g protein; 442 mg sodium; 4.2 g fiber
SPICY
CROUTONS
MAKES 8 LARGE CROUTONS
Any
combination of fennel, dill, caraway, or celery seed works well here; their
flavors complement the paprika on the croutons as well as the dill and tomato
in the soup.
- 8 slices (¼ inch thick) country-style bread
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons spice seeds, such as fennel, dill, caraway, or celery seed, toasted
- ¼ teaspoon paprika (sweet or hot)
- Coarse salt
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush bread with olive oil, dividing evenly; place on a baking sheet.
- In a spice grinder or clean coffee mill, finely grind seeds to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in paprika and ¼ teaspoon salt. Place spice combination in a fine sieve; sift over bread. Brush again with olive oil; toast until crisp, about 15 minutes.
per
serving (slice): 126 calories; 1 g saturated fat; .2 g unsaturated fat; 3 mg
cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 3.3 g protein; 282 mg sodium; 1.4 g fiber