Easy Tomato Soup - Suger free, gluten free, no MSG

Here's a great flexible recipe for homemade  tomato soup.
 INGREDIENTS
2 TB. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium onion chopped 
1 TB. Tomato paste
3 Cloves garlic minced
1 Tsp. xylitol 
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (I recommend Muir Glen's organic fire roasted diced tomatoes)
1 Tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Teas. dried basil
1 Teas. dried thyme
                                                                                        2 Cups water


1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and the garlic and saute until clear. Add the tomato paste and xylitol and stir well for 1 minute.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, vinegar, thyme, basil and water. Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the soup to a blender or blend with an immersion blender until desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  Optional variations include adding 3/4 cup light cream in step 2 and/or 2 Tbs. organic butter. Top with croutons or a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese or chopped fresh basil if desired. 

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