Stacked Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Well, I’m definitely getting sick. Tim and I both woke up on Sunday morning with scratchy throats. Tim’s been super congested and coughing up a storm, so I knew it was only a matter of time before I officially crossed into head cold land too. And here I am! Bleh. It’s hard to feel motivated when your head hurts and it’s FREEZING out. Anyways, I’m going to try to drink hot liquids today and get myself better soon. And by soon I mean by the return to Two A Day… tonight. I have a feeling that after teaching I’m going to need some soup to soothe my throat. Good thing we have some leftover soup in the freezer!

Sometimes I think that Tim and I only eat soup, chili, and stew anymore. Then I look back on all my food posts, and I’m reminded otherwise. But we just can’t get enough soup in the winter. I’m ALWAYS cold. Like I wear two pairs of pants, two pairs of socks, and three shirts around the apartment kind of cold (talk about sweatpants purgatory…). I blame Tim for trying to keep our oil costs down. Anyways, soup is just the perfect comfort food to warm me right up.

Stacked Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 5 cups low-sodium broth of choice
• 3 red peppers
• 1 medium spice chile pepper
• 3 cobs of corn, husked
• 4 tomatoes
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp chives, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp BBQ rub
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• Optional topping: Shredded cheese of choice

Directions

1. Char the skin of the 3 peppers until the outside turns completely black (either on grill or on gas stove). Cover with foil, and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Once cool, peel the skin off of the peppers, de-seed, and dice.
2. Grill the corn, turning every 3 minutes until the kernels can be pierced with a fork.
3. De-seed and dice the tomatoes and chile pepper, then set aside.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pot. Add the diced onion pieces and cook until they become clear. Add the minced garlic and continue to heat for another minute.
5. Pour the broth into the pot and then add the peppers, tomatoes, chile pepper, corn. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, paprika, BBQ rub, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
6. After 15 minutes, add the black-eyed peas, the beans, and the cilantro. Allow to cook for five more minutes.
7. While plating, add the chives and cheese if desired.
8. Enjoy!

I call this soup our “stacked” soup because it’s chock full of delicious and nutritious ingredients. What I loved most about this soup is that we made up the recipe, and it ended up having a TON of flavor. It was definitely a kitchen success.

If you are someone who prefers their soup a little thicker or creamier, I would recommend adding a tablespoon or two of plain Greek yogurt to give it some additional texture.

–Let’s chat–
What is your favorite kind of soup, stew, or chili? Do you find that you eat these more often in the winter? How cold is it where you live? Anyone else sick?

Stay warm, friends!