Happy Fall!  It’s time to start making soup again.  My kids love to take soup in their lunch boxes (which I am very grateful for).  This one is a nice warming soup on a chilly day.  Excerpted from my NEW book The Skinny on Fats, which has many more great recipes too.  Enjoy:)

Thai Style Coconut-Chicken Soup

1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee

3 shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

4 cups free-range,  organic chicken broth (homemade preferred)

28 ounces coconut milk

1 tablespoon raw honey

8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 head broccoli, cut into florets

1 pound thinly sliced free-range, organic chicken breast meat

2 teaspoons red curry paste

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 serrano chile peppers, thinly sliced (optional)

1/4 cup chopped green onions (optional)

8 lime wedges (optional)

Servings:  6-8                 Prep:  15-20 minutes                Cook:  50 minutes

Heat the coconut oil or ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook the shallots with cilantro in the hot pan until the shallots have softened and become translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, coconut milk and raw honey.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  When the broth reaches a simmer, strain through a mesh strainer into a clean saucepan and discard the shallot and cilantro.  Return the broth to a simmer.  Stir in the mushrooms and broccoli and cook until the broccoli becomes tender, approximately 4 minutes.  Add the chicken and cook until it is no longer pink, stirring constantly.  Add the curry paste, lime juice, and fish sauce together in a small bowl to dissolve the curry paste.  Mix the paste into the simmering soup.  Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with cilantro and/or optional serrano peppers, green onions and/or lime wedges to serve.