With Winter finally hitting here after an unusually warm December, I am really craving warming foods. For me, soups are a favourite wintertime go-to. I enjoy all types of soup, but decadent creamy ones are definitely near the top of my list. However, in an effort to reduce dairy myself for my own anti-inflammatory needs, and to remove it altogether for some clients, we wanted to make a traditional cream of tomato without the cream. Then, because we’re always about elevating the classics, we transformed it into an antioxidant powerhouse.

First, we replaced cream with coconut cream to make our version dairy free and trans fat free (bringing in brain loving medium chain triglycerides, or MCTs, instead). We then used low sodium bone broth or, if you would like this recipe to be plant based, vegetable broth (canned soups are very high in sodium). And then we decided to roast our tomatoes. I know this is a bit more time consuming than using them fresh, but not only does roasting release their sweetness and unlock their full flavour, it’s better for your brain too!

While most vegetables are more nutritious raw, there are a small number of vegetables that are healthier when cooked - and tomatoes are one of them. Roasting tomatoes for 30 minutes has been shown to increase their lycopene content by 164%! Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that protects our cells, including brain cells, from damage, and it has recently been shown to have prebiotic effects too. To increase the antioxidant content of our soup even more, we added basil to it and proceeded to go a step further by making an optional herb drizzle packed with free-radical fighting garlic, spinach, basil and olive oil.

This is not your standard {insert big brand name} canned tomato soup. But we know your tastebuds and brain cells will thank you for making it. It freezes beautifully too, so always make a big batch to have on hand.