Thai Carrot Soup

This month's diet goal is to add more fiber to our diet. Fajitas are great, since we can use high fiber tortillas and lots of veggies. It's also a good time of year for soups. So our first soup endeavor of the fall was Thai Carrot Soup from the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics cookbook.

This recipe is in two steps. The first requires you to make Lemongrass Stock.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups water
• 3 fresh lemongrass stalks, coarsely chopped
• 2 celery stalks (I skipped these)
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 3 inch slice of fresh ginger, peeled
• Some peppercorns
• Some salt
• Some coriander seeds (optional)

The onion, carrot and ginger were local and organic.

Directions:

These couldn't be simpler. Put all of the ingredients in the pot and boil for 45 minutes. Done.

Now, onto the soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Grapeseed Oil
• 2 cups chopped organic onions
• 2 minced organic garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon grated organic ginger root
• 1 fresh organic chile (as hot as you want it)
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 cup chopped organic fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped organic red bell peppers
• 4 cups peeled and chopped organic carrots
• Pinch of salt
• Lemongrass Stock
• 14 ounces of coconut milk
• Chopped organic cilantro for garnish

Directions:

Heat the oil in a medium sized soup pot. Add the onions and saute them for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chile, and coriander and cook for 1 minute.

Next, add the tomatoes, peppers, carrots, salt, and stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Puree the soup (preferably with an immersion blender) and garnish with cilantro before serving.