My husband’s garden continues to produce a bountiful supply of tomatoes (check out his post at Main Line Haven) so my daughter suggested tomato soup. Tomato soup is surprisingly easy to make. You just need tomatoes and a few simple ingredients. It’s fast and delicious. Total prep time: 10 minutes.  Total cooking time: about 30 minutes.

Deliciously Simple Fresh Tomato Soup

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth                                      1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon olive oil                                                                     2 pounds plum tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 cup chopped onion                                                                      ½ teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped celery                                                                    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the topping:

6 tablespoons plain, fat-free Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons chopped basil

Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a heated saucepan. Add onion, celery and tomato paste to the saucepan and saute over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Place half the tomato mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blend lid on blender. Place a clean towel over the opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat with remaining tomato mixture. Ladle ¾ cup into 6 bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon of yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped basil.

Nutrition Note: Including broth-based vegetable soups, like tomato soup, before a meal helps with weight loss. The low-calorie soup helps to fill you up so you eat less at the meal.