When it's cold outside, nothing hits the spot quite like a creamy tomato carrot soup. This healthy, quick and easy recipe makes use of real cream, for a thick and satisfying soup with fabulous flavor that's ready in less than an hour.

What could be better for dinner that a nice hot bowl of soup along with your favorite salad.

Well this is what I was craving for one evening and turned out I had no vegetables in my refrigerator except for 3 carrots and few tomatoes. So a mashup of the left over ingredients in my fridge turned into a nice soothing bowl of carrot tomato soup topped with croutons and dollops of cottage cheese (current favorite at my place).

Below are the details of the recipe. Do try it out and I would love to hear how it turned out. Let me know if anyone comes up with interesting variations as well.

Preparation time: 30-40 min, Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 3 Carrots

• 2 Tomatoes

• 1/2 inch Ginger

• 3-4 Garlic Cloves

• 1 Onion

• 2-3 Green Chilies (as per spice preference)

• 1-2 tsp of cottage cheese ( as per preference)

• Salt to taste

• Pepper

• Oregano/Cilantro/Parsley ( as per preference)

• Heavy cream ( optional)

Preparation Steps

1. Heat Oil in a pan. Add chopped onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies. Saute till the onions are translucent.

2. Next, add chopped carrots and saute for another 3 minutes.

3. Next add the chopped tomatoes and continue to saute till the tomatoes are mushy and carrots are soft. I prefer to saute till the veggies are nicely roasted and the tomatoes have dissolved.

4. Now blend this to a smooth paste.

5. Pour the paste into the same pan and add 2 cups of hot water while stirring continuously. Add Salt per taste.

6. Cook till it boils rapidly. Adjust the consistency as per your preference.

7. Finally add salt to taste , fresh cracked pepper and some oregano or any herb of your choice.

8. Add 2 teaspoons of cottage cheese to each serving and top it with some croutons.

Hope you all like this recipe and can enjoy it on a cozy winter evening!