Roasted tomato and white bean soup

vegan | prep + cook time 1 hour 10 minutes | serves 4

Tomatoes contain the carotenoid lycopene, an antioxidant that gives them their red color, and may be useful in reducing the risk of some cancers and heart disease. While cooking does slightly reduce the vitamin C content in tomatoes, it actually increases the lycopene content.

2 lbs ripe roma tomatoes, quartered

1 medium red onion (170g), cut into wedges

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

¹⁄₂ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

salt and freshly ground black pepper

¹⁄₃ cup loosely packed sage leaves

1 15-oz can cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained, rinsed

2 cups water

1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

2 Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a roasting pan. Combine the maple syrup and half the olive oil in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste; pour over the vegetables, then toss to coat. Roast for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes are very soft and colored at the edges.

3 Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat; fry the sage leaves, stirring, for 1 minute or until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towel. Reserve the sage oil.

4 Peel the roasted garlic. Blend the garlic, onion, two-thirds of the tomatoes, and two-thirds of the beans until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large saucepan with the water and the remaining beans; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5 Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the remaining tomatoes and crisp sage leaves; drizzle with the reserved sage oil.

Roasted tomato and white bean soup