Roasted Tomato Soup with Beans & Rice

We had a the most delicious dinner tonight - roasted tomato soup with garbanzo beans and brown rice. It was a very simple meal made from a handful of ingredients I had on hand. It was flavorful, healthy, mostly organic, and only cost about $7. Most of the ingredients are on sale until tomorrow (November 11).

What kinds of yummy dishes have you made from your sale items?

In case you're interested in recreating this soup, here is the recipe. By the way, I'm no Canary Girl, but I did use my own picture this time. She inspired me.

Ingredients:

• Gourmet House Organic Brown Rice - sale price 99 cents.
• Swanson's Organic Vegetable Broth - sale price $2.50.
• Organic Grape Tomatoes - BOGO.
• Organic Garbanzo Beans (canned).
  
• Ruskin Tomatoes - FREE - a kind gift from my husband's colleague. They were the loveliest, most flavorful tomatoes I've had in a long time.
• Alexia All Natural Bread - BOGO. I had the ciabatta rolls. They were pretty good, but not great. Plus, they were not whole grain.
  

Directions:

• First, make the brown rice according to the instructions (it will take about 45 min).
• Next, cut the tomatoes into wedges and roast them with olive oil at a high temperature until they are slightly charred on the edges (about 30 min). You could also add in some other things like garlic or red peppers. The roasting process adds a wonderfully rich flavor to the soup.
  
• While the tomatoes are roasting, combine the vegetable broth and beans in a pot and bring to a boil. I used garbanzo beans, but just about any bean could work. I think white northern beans would be great.
  
• When the tomatoes are finished roasting, put them in a pot and puree them with a hand mixer. Careful - they're hot!
  
• Combine the rice, beans, broth, and tomatoes and simmer.
  
• Season with olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and garlic powder.
  
• Enjoy with a nice roll.