I found this tomato soup recipe online and it is dairy free. My little girl and I made it together and it was super easy, quick, and tasty. I used a can of organic coconut milk to make it extra creamy so it does have a little bit of a coconut flavor to it but it’s not overwhelming. I think next time I will use a little bit of half/half (coconut/almond milk kind) and see how that goes. I’ve been making dishes dairy free for the last couple of years and I really like the way they are turning out. No, they do not taste quite the same but they are very close plus they are healthier as we know from research that dairy is highly inflammatory and cows milk actually depletes the bone of calcium rather than helping with absorbing it. The “milk does a body good” campaign was pretty influential and really a big lie in my opinion. However, more and more health professionals and individuals are educating themselves on the benefits of a plant based diet and limiting/eliminating dairy from diets. I work with families every day and when a child comes off dairy it is amazing the benefits we are seeing. Some benefits I’ve seen are reduction in ear infections, congestion clears, asthma improves, allergies decrease or go away, reduction in sinus infections, fewer sick days, and frequency and consistency of bowel movements improves. You know what all of these benefits are from? A decrease in inflammation on the inside of our body. We can’t necessarily feel this but when symptoms start to decrease or go away that is our body telling us it is getting healthier from the inside out. Educate yourself. Try making small changes. Try a new recipe. Be open to change. Your body will thank you.

❤️ Lindsay

2 tbsp coconut or olive oil
½ yellow onion chopped
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
3 cups veggie broth
1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp pure maple syrup (this means no added sugars, etc. Ingredients should say maple syrup only)
1 bay leaf
1 13.5 oz can organic coconut milk (could probably use half/half almond/coconut too)

Heat oil in skillet over med heat. Add onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add and stir in tomato paste and garlic. Cook about 2 more minutes.

Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir to incorporate; add veggies broth, crushed tomato, lemon juice, maple syrup, and bay leaf. Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat to med-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and take bay leaf out. Let cool then either place in blender or use immersion blender to puree soup. I used an immersion blender and left some onion pieces in the soup. I like the immersion blender because you just leave the soup right in the pot. You could probably even skip the blender and be fine.

Once pureed, place back on stove. Add coconut milk and stir. Heat until the soup is warmed and serve. Season with sea salt and some more fresh basil if you choose.

Recipe credit: allrecipes.com