Weekly Menu #4 and Coconut Curry Soup

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Here’s this weeks menu. We’ve decided that Valentine’s Day will have to be spent at home this year- No babysitter and no reservation openings. Just wasn’t meant to be. But we’ll enjoy making dinner, sipping wine and hanging out with our little Foodies. They unfortunately have acquired a taste for good steak. No chicken nuggets for them if there’s steak to be had. Its a titch more expensive, but hey, it’s a holiday.

I made this Coconut Curry Soup last week and it was a big hit with the whole family. It was so good that I made it again for my Girls weekend. I’m bummed I didn’t take more pictures of the food we made because it was pretty fabulous! And I highly recommend the book we read (err… still reading) The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn. Great for anyone who’s interested in improving their cooking skills.

Anyhow, here’s that soup recipe. It can be made with or without chicken. We did the vegetarian version over the weekend and it was just as fabulous. The amount of vegetables in this soup makes it really hearty. My kids and husband are not big fans of eggplant, but they really liked it in this soup. Eggplant is rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals so its worth trying! But make this meal your own by subtracting or adding different vegetables to suit your family’s preferences.

Crock-pot Coconut Curry Soup (gluten free, dairy free, Paleo, vegetarian option)

• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 2 13.5oz cans Coconut milk (full fat)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 heaping Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 large onion peeled and diced
• 1 eggplant, peeled and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 cup diced shitake mushrooms
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 bunch kale, stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Fresh Cilantro for garnish (optional)
• Crushed peanuts for garnish (optional)

 Put all ingredients except peas, kale, limes and garnishes into crockpot and set it to low. Cook for 6-8 hours. 20 minutes prior to serving pull the chicken out and shred with two forks. Put the chicken back in the crockpot along with the peas and kale and allow to heat through. Serve with fresh cilantro, crushed peanuts and lime wedges. A good dose of sriracha will add the perfect Thai flavor. Enjoy!