Slow-Cooker Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

So we're still going!  Well, not technically, I don't think anyone would call us vegetarians.  We don't.  Mostly we've just concentrated on more meatless mains.  And again I say, if you like meat, don't watch Forks Over Knives. 

But I will say, My Man feels better and sleeps better when he doesn't partake.  He feels it pretty immediately.  I don't really feel it at all.  However, I see it in the scale.  Where once my weight fluctuated more readily, I stay about 5 lbs. under where I was when I stick with our 'vegetarian' main courses.

All of that to say, this particular recipe has become a regular at our table.  The kids love it.  My Man loves it.  And you know what I love?  VEGETARIAN MEETS CROCKPOT.  Yes.  You know what else I love?  When our garden was producing tomatoes like it was it's job and I finally got tired of canning, I would throw them in the food processor and freeze them in quart bags.  This recipe is perfect for frozen tomatoes from last summer.  Throw them in the crockpot in the morning and they're ready to blend just before dinner.  So fresh.  So healthy.  So homemade. 

Makes me happy.

Slow-Cooker Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

1 3/4 cup diced carrots (3 medium) 
1 3/4 cup diced yellow onion (1 large) 
2 Tbsp olive oil 5 cloves garlic , minced 
3 (28 oz) cans whole Roma tomatoes 
1 (32 oz) carton vegetable broth 
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil , plus more for garnish 
2 bay leaves 
1 Tbsp granulated sugar 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste 
16 oz refrigerated three cheese tortellini 
3/4 cup heavy cream Parmesan , shredded, for serving 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and onion and saute 3 - 4 minutes, add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Pour mixture into a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker along with tomatoes, vegetable broth, basil, bay leaves, sugar. Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW 6 - 7 hours or HIGH 3 - 3 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves then puree mixture well with an emulsion blender (or carefully in small batches in a blender. If your slow cooker doesn't keep all the moisture in well while cooking, you may need to add in 1/2 cup water or so at this point so the soup isn't too thick). Stir in tortellini, cover and cook on HIGH heat 15 minutes longer (or until heated through). Reduce heat to warm, stir in heavy cream. Serve topped with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. 

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy