Jeff's Spicy Thai Carrot Soup

I love Sunday nights. Jeff usually cooks on Sunday nights. And, that's why I love Sunday nights! I usually sit and watch him. Pre- Paleo days I would sip on a glass of wine and admire his amazing body and the way he moves so proficiently in the kitchen. This past Sunday night, however, I sipped on hot peppermint tea. But, I still admired his amazing body.

One of his specialties is carrot soup and beer bread. It is awesome on a cold winter evening. But, the soup has heavy whipping cream in it (I'm not eating dairy) and I certainly can't eat beer bread! So, he decided to mix it up a little. Here's what he came up with:

2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil

1.5 lbs. carrots peeled and cut up

1/2  yellow onion                                                                     

2 cloves of garlic

1 box of chicken broth

1/4 cup full fat coconut milk (found in the Asian food section)

1 Tablespoon of chili paste (more if you like it super spicy!)

spices to taste- salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Chop 1 carrot, the onion, and the garlic very finely and throw it in the oil. Simmer until the onions are translucent. Then add the broth and the rest of the carrots. Cook until carrots are fairly soft- about 20 minutes. In a blender, blend about 2 cups at a time until smooth, being VERY careful not to pop the lid of the blender off. (I've done this before with hot soup and it can be really dangerous!! Blend small amounts at a time.) Once it's all blended and smooth, add the coconut milk, the chili paste and the rest of the spices to taste.

Oh my word, ya'll. This soup was REALLY good. I love really spicy foods, too, because it forces you to eat more slowly and savor what you're eating.

Ok, so maybe it doesn't look the best, but, I promise, it tastes delicious and is worth the 30 minutes it takes to cook!