Tomato Carrot Soup

After I got pregnant, I got really tired. I mean like fall asleep in the middle of a sentence tired.  I mean like fall asleep on the floor because you are too tired to get up to get on the couch tired.  It was intense and almost immediate.  I was tired basically all the time.  Anyone who knows me knows I am a horrible napper.  Napping just wasn't my thing prior to pregnancy.  However, that quickly changed. I would take two hour naps and still feel like I could sleep for another six.  During pregnancy, sleep was basically the only thing I ever wanted to do.   Well, sleep and eat.  Let's be honest here.

While being oh, so tired, I started watching ABC's The Chew during the afternoon.  I would stretch out on the couch and just laugh along with Carla, Clinton, Daphne, Mario, and Michael.  Yeah, we are on a first name basis now.  There were many days when I would fall asleep with their recipes, decorating ideas, and jokes floating into my dream world.  

Since having Owen, he often gets hungry right around the time of The Chew comes on in the afternoons.  I have no problem with this because I still find the show totally entertaining and fun. The other day they featured a variation on a tomato soup recipe called Creamy Carrot Tomato Soup.  The recipe was geared for kids who are picky eaters.  I am no picky eater but I thought this recipe sounded delicious.  I decided to make an attempt at my own variation on the recipe.  While I am sure the original recipe is delicious, the tomato carrot soup I ended up with was incredible!  I ate it for lunch two days in a row and was wishing I had made more.  It was filling and light at the same time.  Because the base of the soup consisted of carrots and tomatoes, I felt really clean after eating it.  I like that feeling.  Oh, and it was ridiculously easy to make.  Who doesn't love a soup like that?  I hope you enjoy!

(And that is my little sous chef!  Although he is drooly, I promise, no drool was added to this soup.  He is super sweet though and I can't promise any of his sweetness didn't jump into the pot.)

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Tomato Carrot Soup

*adapted from Daphne Oz's Creamy Carrot Tomato Soup

7 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion, diced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

6 cups chicken stock

1 cup light coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

Add approximately 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot.  Begin heating large pot over medium high heat.  Add diced onions to pot.  Cook onions for 3-5 minutes.  Add a little salt and pepper.  Add carrots to pot and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Add tomato paste to carrot onion mixture and stir.  Let that mixture cook together for approximately 2 minutes.  Add chicken stock to pot.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the carrots are soft.  Take pot off the heat.  Using an immersion blend (or regular blender), blend the carrot mixture until mostly smooth.  Add coconut milk to carrot mixture in pot. Blend the coconut milk in.  Add cayenne pepper.  Blend the cayenne pepper in.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Blend until smooth or desired consistency is reached.  Enjoy!

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