Creamy or Not Tomato Soup

I was on the phone with my friend Amanda, and after hearing the sounds of cooking, she asked me what I was cooking. I said, "Tomato soup or maybe creamy tomato soup." She marveled at my creativity. So it occurred to me that while tomato soup means I feel lazy, it may seem complicated to someone else. Let me share how I make super easy tomato soup (creamy or not).

1 16 oz can of chopped tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup vegetable broth
dill
cream

Divide the can of tomatoes in half. Saute chopped garlic in a little olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add half of the tomatoes. Cook a little. Puree in a bullet or blender. Pour back into saucepan and add the other chopped tomatoes. (You could do the whole thing pureed, but the chunks are nice). Add broth, salt, and dill to taste. After it cooks a little you can add a touch of cream (about 1/4 cup) or soy milk.

If you were feeling fancy, you could put a sprig of some fresh herb on it, or some croutons, or a little grated cheese. The nice thing about pureed soups is that you achieve texture without having to thicken anything. When you are making vegetarian soups, this helps create a little more depth I think.