Creamy Tomato Bisque with Mozzarella Crostini

From EatingWell: December 2005/January 2006, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006) — Subscribe Now!

We use high-in-protein and low-in-fat silken tofu and a bit of rice instead of heavy cream to thicken this French-inspired tomato soup. Topped with a melted-cheese crostini, it's almost like getting your grilled cheese and tomato soup all in one.

READER'S COMMENT:

"Needed pepper, IMO, but otherwise great. I used someone elses fire roasted tomatoe suggestion---nice. BIG TIP---try doing a pesto and goat cheese crostini with this soup---awesome! Just spread some pesto and sprinkle some crumbled goat...

Creamy Tomato Bisque with Mozzarella Crostini Recipe

6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1/4 cup white rice
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup silken tofu
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
6 3/4-inch-thick slices baguette, preferably whole-grain
3 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth, water and rice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is very tender, about 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Stir tomatoes, tofu and vinegar into the soup. Remove from the heat and puree, in batches, in a blender. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the soup to the pot and reheat over medium-high heat, stirring often.
Meanwhile, top slices of baguette with mozzarella and place on a baking sheet. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top each serving with a cheesy crostini.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the soup (Steps 1 & 3), cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, make crostini and reheat the soup (Steps 2 & 4).

Nutrition

Per serving: 218 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 3 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 4 g fiber; 355 mg sodium; 478 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (25% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat