TOMATO & COCONUT MILK SOUP

I'm always the one ordering hot soups in the summer. It's never too hot for a hot soup! In the Middle East, people drink very hot tea in the midst of summer as it actually cools the body down. I eat hot soup because I love it. I made a gazpacho for my husband's 30th birthday last weekend, but the pounds and pounds of tomatoes I bought were not all put to use! For gazpacho, a little bit goes a long way. I had about 2 pounds of tomatoes left, and as we were having some friends over, I decided making a warm soup would be a delicious appetizer. I definitely have not had tomato soup since the winter time, and actually I don't think I have a recipe for one on my blog, although I tend to eat it quite often! 

I love experiencing with flavors, so I decided to mix tomatoes with coconut milk to make the soup, and it came out so creamy and delicious. My brother's friend said that it tasted like a heavy cream filled soup -- but I didn't use any dairy -- so clearly I did something right! This soup is a perfect vegan alternative to your typical tomato and cream soup. I'll keep this one in mind for next winter!

Husband approved.

Ingredients:

1 onion

1 shallot

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 cups coconut milk

1 cup water or vegetable stock 

1 lb tomatoes (about 10)

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp paprika

Directions:

Peel and chop onion, shallot and garlic. Slice tomatoes in quarters. Heat a large soup pot with coconut oil and cook onion, shallot and garlic until brown. Mix in tomatoes and stir for about 10 minutes. Add sea salt, cayenne, turmeric and paprika. Pour in the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Using an immersion blender or blender, blend soup until smooth. Serve hot. 

Optional toppings:

Chopped pistachios, croutons, or chives