Side or Main Plate
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 ¾-inch-thick slices baguette
3 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1. 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.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F.
3. 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.
4. 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.
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).
Per serving: 219 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 3 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrate; 8 g protein; 4 g fiber; 354 mg sodium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (25% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).