Peanut-Craisin Vegetable Curry

3 stalks celery (save tops for later)

2 big carrots

1 medium 'winter' onion

2T coconut oil

Chop the 'mirepoix' and sauté over medium heat, in a 5 quart pan for a few minutes.

Chop and add the rest of the vegetables shown in the second photo except the tomatoes. Note that I opted for fresh Campari tomatoes instead of the canned shown in the first photo →

Colorful mini bell peppers, 4 med. red potatoes, 5 lg. cloves garlic, 2 big purple shallots, 1½# green cabbage, 1 lg. brown radish

Seasonings: 3±T mild curry paste, ¼t cayenne pepper, 1t fresh ground black pepper, 1t salt, 1t sugar, 1-2T ground cumin.

Add 2c cold fresh water and simmer on low heat until the carrots are tender. Meanwhile, put a covered steamer basket over the pot once it begins to simmer.

Add tomatoes and steam for 3 minutes. Plunge them immediately in a big bowl of ice water. The skins will now peel off easily. Core and peel them, then dice and add to the pot along with the celery greens. 

You can also add 1c roasted-salted peanuts and 1c chopped dried fruit: craisins, apricots, prunes, or golden raisins, or even chopped apple if you'd like. Today it was craisins.

Continue simmering for a total of an hour or so. Stir in 1 can of coconut milk, or coconut cream. Stir, then bring back to a low simmer for just a few minutes before serving. Perfect for a crisp fall day. . .Lin

Orange and Green Vegetable Curry Soup

2T coconut oil

½ green pepper

1 lg. purple shallot

12 cloves of garlic

1½ c chopped celery

4 green onions

3 carrots

2 med. sweet potatoes

1 T cumin

1 T curry powder

2 t pumpkin pie spice

½ t ground black pepper

½ t Himalayan pink salt

1 t turbinado or brown sugar

4 c cold filtered water

1 T Better Than Bouillon - vegetable

½-¾ c raisins

1 can coconut milk

Melt the coconut oil in a 4 quart heavy-bottomed pot.  Peel the sweet potatoes and carrots before chopping, then add all the chopped vegetables.  Sprinkle on everything in the seasoning group, pour in about a cup of the water, stir well, simmer while stirring, until most of the water is absorbed.  When it starts to stick to the pot and sizzle, pour in the rest of the water, stir, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Taste the broth and add the BTB soup base in small amounts until it tastes as you'd like.  Put the raisins in a tiny bowl and ladle some hot broth over them and set aside for now.

Blend everything in the pot with an immersion blender.  Stir in the coconut milk, add the raisins and blend again, just enough to chop them a bit.  Bring back just to a slight simmer.  Serve garnished with some pumpkin seeds and chopped parsley or cilantro.  If you're not a vegan or vegetarian, chop up some cooked beef, chicken, lamb, venison or goat and pour the hot soup over it - Mmmm. . .Lin