Another Blended Tomato-Vegetable Soup

This turned out so well! I tasted it with and without the coconut milk, and it's great both ways.

Chop the celery and carrot and saute in Greek Kalamata extra virgin olive oil. When the aromas start to release, add 1 medium onion and lots of fresh garlic, chopped. Add the seasonings of your choice, I used black pepper, smokey paprika, garlic salt, a blend of ground-dried vegetable seasoning, from Costco, and some vegetable Better Than Bouillon.

Stir in the stewed and diced tomatoes. Rinse the can's with fresh, cold water and add 36oz. or so to the pot. Simmer everything, over low heat, for an hour or two. Blend with an immersion blender, then check the flavors. Add a little coconut sugar if too acidic and make any other adjustments to the seasonings. 

Let this cool a bit if you're adding the coconut milk. Just stir that in and reheat to a very low simmer. Serve with oyster crackers or a grilled cheese sandwich. The next day I made some stir-fry steak, potatoes and asparagus and served that in a bowl with a scoop of this soup over the top. That was also excellent! Like a chunky tomato-cream gravy. . .Lin

Chicken Two Ways. . .Tandoori Chicken Stew and Coconut Chicken Salad

First things first:  2# of chicken breast meat cut in 1/2" cubes.  Combine with 6 large garlic cloves and 1 small onion, all finely chopped.  Season with 1/2 - 1t ground red and black pepper.  Sauté all together in 2-3T solid coconut oil.  Coconut oil imparts a very strong coconut flavor which will blend nicely with the Indian chicken stew as well as the chicken salad.

TANDOORI CHICKEN STEW

1# of the sautéed chicken, garlic and onion

6 small Yukon gold potatoes - scrubbed and quartered

1 large sweet potato - peeled and cubed

1 medium onion - diced

4 big radishes - quartered

1t fresh ground Himalayan pink salt

2T tandoori seasoning

1 28oz. can diced tomatoes

1 14oz. can coconut milk

In a 3-5 quart pot, combine the cooked chicken with all the ingredients except the coconut milk.  Simmer all of this, for about a half hour, stirring occasionally.  Add the coconut milk and simmer another 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are done the way you like them.  This particular tandoori is a blend of coriander, cumin, sweet paprika, garlic, ginger, cardamom and saffron.  I've never used it before, but it sounded yummy!  It wasn't as hot as I thought it would be.  If it's not as spicy as you like you can add more cumin and/or ground red and black pepper. . .Lin

COCONUT CHICKEN SALAD

1# of the sautéed chicken, garlic and onion

1/2c sweet and dill pickles - finely chopped

1 small onion - finely chopped

2 large radishes - finely chopped

3/4c sour cream and mayonnaise

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium size bowl.  Serve over spinach, garnish with avocado and red olives.  Would also be a good filling for stuffed tomatoes. . .Lin