Chef Linda Linda Soper-Kolton, Chef, came to the Sanctuary as a guest chef to share her love of compassionate cooking in our then-fledgling culinary program. Lured by the magic of the Sanctuary, her love of animals and the urgency of our mission, Linda stayed on to lead and grow the culinary program, inspiring and educating with love, patience, and delicious food. View Recipes

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Spiced Cream of Tomato Soup

By Chef Linda


When we asked our friends to tell us what their favorite comfort food was, tomato soup (and grilled cheese!) topped the list. Is it because it reminds us of childhood, a time when our cares were few and maybe someone was cooking for us? Or is it because tomato soup is that good? Perhaps it's both so it seemed like a good reason to give this classic soup a grown-up and compassionate update, making it kinder and a little tastier. To mellow out the tomato flavor and add some grown-up flavors, I added pumpkin, roasted red pepper, and a bevy of warming spices. Creamy coconut milk replaces dairy in this recipe and works so well with these spices. It’s the perfect compassionate soup to warm our hearts and tummies when the weather gets cold. 

Ingredients

 1 tablespoon coconut oil (refined or unrefined)
 1 medium onion, finely chopped, about ¾ cup
 1 ½ teaspoons salt
 3 large cloves garlic, minced
 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
 1 teaspoon ground cumin
 1 teaspoon ground coriander
 ½ teaspoon turmeric
 ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
 ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
 1 whole roasted red pepper, chopped
 ½ cup canned pumpkin or cooked orange squash
 1 (15.5-ounce) can coconut milk
 1 teaspoon harissa paste, or substitute 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
 Juice from ½ lemon, about 1 ½ tablespoons
 Up to 3/4 cup water, to thin, if desired
To Serve
 Chopped cilantro
 Non-dairy, plain, unsweetened yogurt or sour cream

Directions

1

Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion starts to soften. Stir in garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and black pepper. Cook for a few minutes more until everything is fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, red pepper, pumpkin, coconut milk, and harissa. Stir and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Taste and add more salt, lemon, or harissa, if desired. Garnish with a swirl of yogurt and cilantro.

Notes

Spiced Cream of Tomato Soup

Spiced Cream of Tomato Soup

DifficultyEasyCook Time30 mins
YIELDS
Serves 6 to 8

Spiced cream of tomato soup
INGREDIENTS

 1 tablespoon coconut oil (refined or unrefined)
 1 medium onion, finely chopped, about ¾ cup
 1 ½ teaspoons salt
 3 large cloves garlic, minced
 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
 1 teaspoon ground cumin
 1 teaspoon ground coriander
 ½ teaspoon turmeric
 ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
 ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
 1 whole roasted red pepper, chopped
 ½ cup canned pumpkin or cooked orange squash
 1 (15.5-ounce) can coconut milk
 1 teaspoon harissa paste, or substitute 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
 Juice from ½ lemon, about 1 ½ tablespoons
 Up to 3/4 cup water, to thin, if desired
To Serve
 Chopped cilantro
 Non-dairy, plain, unsweetened yogurt or sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1

Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion starts to soften. Stir in garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and black pepper. Cook for a few minutes more until everything is fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes, red pepper, pumpkin, coconut milk, and harissa. Stir and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Taste and add more salt, lemon, or harissa, if desired. Garnish with a swirl of yogurt and cilantro.

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