Low Carb Tomato Soup with Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Y’all are going to love this…but first here’s a little history behind the tomato I bet you didn’t even know 🙂

“Although a classic ingredient for many Western European dishes and an absolute must for any self-respecting French woman the tomato did in fact come from South America and didn’t arrive in Europe until the 16th Century.

Originally from Peru and cultivated by the Aztecs the tomato came to Europe via Spanish and Portuguese traders in the 16th century. Back in its native Peru the tomato was known as the ‘Tomatl’ (which was the precursor for today’s pronunciation) however by the time it reached the shores of Europe the Italians had named it ‘Pomo dei Mori’ which directly translated means ‘the Apple of the Moors’. The French misinterpreted ‘Pomo dei Mori’ due to its coincidentally French-sounding phonetics to ‘Pomme d’Amour’ meaning ‘Apple of Love’!

Many Europeans initially feared to eat the tomato due to its bright, vivid colours which many were sure indicated poison. So in many estates the tomato was left purely as an ornamental plant and kept well clear from the kitchen table.

The British unfortunately had other reasons for not indulging in the tomato which reached English shores via France. The Brits picked up on the French name for the tomato ‘Pomme d’Amour’ and unfortunately took the ‘Apple of Love’ rather too literally and in line with the (then) current thinking and religious views refused to eat the tomato in a raw state for fear of arousing ‘unseemly’ passions! For these reasons most early British recipes using tomatoes insisted that it be cooked and it wasn’t until the turn of the 20th century that raw tomatoes became popular as a salad ingredient.” —
Marcus Alexander, Yahoo Contributor Network, Jul 24, 2007

My family LOVES tomato soup, and unlike some of our British ancestors we’re not afraid to eat the tomatoes raw. However, one of the unfortunate things about going lower carb is that you have to give up some of your favorite foods. I grew up loving Campbell’s Tomato Soup as a child, stir in a little milk and top it off with some crushed crackers and grilled cheese on the side. Mmmm, those are some good eats! Now, of course as I’ve gotten older, my taste buds have altered as well 🙂 Along with the rest of me, uh…we won’t go there!

As the cooler weather creeps in along our country, and I emphasize the “creeping”, soups are the stand by meal for many families. I know of many who refuse to make anything from scratch unless it’s got 5 or less ingredients and can be made in one pot. Ok, so my low carb soup has an extra 5 ingredients but it’s worth it in the end! Trust me and the plus side is that it’s made in one pot!

Tomato Soup with Oopsie Roll Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

3 cans diced tomatoes, or 2 1/2–3 pounds of fresh ripe tomatoes chopped

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 cups homemade chicken stock, frozen and thawed or store bought

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 healthy pinch of basil

1/4 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp salt

pepper to taste

2 packets of Truvia

1 packet of Raw Stevia

In dutch oven pot add the first three ingredients and cook on low until frozen stock melts down. Add in the minced garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Let simmer for a few minutes. Use stick blender (aka boat motor) to puree the tomato pieces. I left a few chunks in the soup for some texture. Turn off the burner add in sweeteners and enjoy!

The carbs for this is 3.5 carbs  for one serving and leftovers are amazing…if there are any that is 😀

Alright, an oopsie roll…what is it and why is it called oopsie? An oopsie roll is a gluten free “bread” option that came about as a boo-boo in one cook’s kitchen while making the Atkins Revolution Rolls. Her mistake, or oops, has changed many lives! No more bunless burgers, breadless sammies, and creamy eggs salads can now be enjoyed again on a bread like replacement. I first discovered the oopsie rolls last October when I had this killer craving for a ham and cheese sandwich. At the time, I had just gone gluten free and was hankering for a bread like substitute. The oopsie roll has been a life saver! Now that I no longer have an issue with the egg yolks, thanks to digestive enzyme pills, I can fully enjoy these rolls again without any worries! Over at Your Lighter Side, (<—please click there) you’ll find the recipe for these unique rolls. For any person needing to live a gluten free life these are a godsend. Truly, and I especially love them when they’re still warm from the oven with cheese and turkey meat. But to serve it up with my tomato soup I decided to kick them up a bit.

I stayed true to the basic recipe, but here’s what I added for a savory flavor:

For Savory:

1 healthy pinch of Italian seasoning

1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

pinch of salt and pepper

After you’ve mixed the cream cheese and egg yolks together that’s when you can add in the savory mix and continue to blend until smooth. (Continue on with the rest of the oopsie roll recipe as before and bake according to directions.)

You talk about lip smackin’ good, son. Sorry, just watched a Duck Dynasty marathon tonight 😀 I think my southerness is in over drive right now 😉 They aren’t everyone’s favorite, my Mom thought they were weird, but she was glad that I could enjoy them without any worries later of it messing me up. Each bun is 1 net carb (excellent in my book) and it is suggested in the original recipe to take two buns and make a sandwich. For a two carb sandwich I’d say that’s a definite keeper!!

In the above picture I used one bun and with a bread knife I carefully sliced it open to make a thin sandwich. You don’t have to be so finicky about it, I only did that because I wasn’t too sure how the yolks were going to affect me. But no worries, since the recipe makes 6 rolls and that spreads out the 3 eggs yolks rather thinly. However, if you’re at all concerned because of your own egg sensitivity may I suggest you take digestive enzymes. They have been a lifesaver for me and have pretty much cured my health issues! Do your own research, ask your doctor what he/she thinks and read up on what Dr. Mercola has to say about taking digestive enzymes. 

So there you have it, 4.5 net carbs for an entire meal, excluding any salad that you choose to have on the side, and it don’t get any better than that! It’s a simple meal, full of flavor, great textures, and hearty goodness during the colder months.

Have a blessed day and stay warm!!

 

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