Shanthi Appelö is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan based in Detroit. Passionate about the science of nutrition and behavior, Shanthi has experience working in clinical nutrition, public health and teaching in the university setting. She earned her Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition from the University of Tennessee and has a research background in maternal and child health nutrition and public health, as well as a Certificate of Training in Obesity Interventions from the Commission on Dietetic Registration. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the outdoors, working on art and spending time with family.
Roasted Garlic, Pepper and Tomato Tortellini Soup
Serving Amount
Ingredients
3 bell peppers, red, yellow and/or orange
24 oz. cherry tomatoes
21⁄2 cups vegetable broth
1 13.5 oz. can coconut milk (reserve 2 Tbsp. for drizzling)
1 garlic head
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning or oregano
1⁄2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
9 oz. refrigerated tortellini of choice, such as cheese, chicken or sausage
garnish of chopped chives, basil or other herbs
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and coating the paper with spray oil.
Step 2
Cut bell peppers in half, removing seeds, core and membrane. Add to prepared baking sheet face down.
Step 3
Cut the top of the garlic head off to expose a small part of the garlic clove. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet.
Step 4
Add tomatoes to baking sheet. Season the vegetables with a drizzle of 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and salt and pepper.
Step 5
Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until bell peppers have sunk in and started to show signs of charring.
Step 6
Add roasted peppers and tomatoes to a large pot, except for the garlic to allow it to cool. Add vegetable broth, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes to the pot.
Step 7
Once garlic is cooled, squeeze garlic cloves into the pot and add coconut milk, reserving 2 Tbsp for drizzling.
Step 8
Transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, and then put back in the large pot. You could also use an immersion blender in the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 9
Add the tortellini, and allow to simmer until tortellini has softened to the desired texture, about 10 minutes.
Step 10
Serve in bowl. Drizzle with the reserved coconut milk and top with garnish of choice.
