Roasted Sweet Pepper Basil Soup

This recipe was inspired by tomato basil soup and tastes very similar and avoids those high histamine tomatoes.  If you don't have problems with dairy, you can use half and half or milk in place of the coconut milk.

Roasted Sweet Pepper Basil Soup
Makes about 4 servings

2 cups roasted red pepper puree, recipe here
2 cups chopped fresh basil
1 cup homemade chicken stock
1 cup Trader Joe's coconut milk
1/2 cup lower histamine white wine (see What I Eat)
1 large shallot, chopped
2 - 4 T lemon juice (depends on if you want it a little on the acidic side)
2 T olive oil
1 tsp. dried thyme or a few sprigs of fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in pan and add shallots.  Saute until browned.  Add basil and cook until wilted.  Salt and pepper.  Add with red pepper puree to a blender or food processor and blend.  Return to pan and add chicken stock, coconut milk, wine, lemon juice, and thyme.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Adjust salt and pepper.

Faux Pho

I  love pho - the vietnamese noodle soups.  Chicken is my favorite - comforting like chicken soup, but so much more interesting!  Pho's out these days for lots of allergy reasons, but I came up with a "pho-like" soup that we like just as well.

Allergy Friendly Pho - serves 2

1 large chicken breast or equivalent in turkey breast
2 Tablespoons plus 1 Tablespoon olive oil
2" x 1" piece of peeled ginger
2 shallots, peeled and diced
sea salt
white pepper
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups homemade chicken broth, hot
4 oz. rice pad thai noodles, cooked, drained, and rinsed
2 heads baby bok choy, chopped, boiled for 2 minutes, and drained
1/4 cup chopped basil
2 T chopped mint leaves

Heat broth while making the rest of the soup.

Cut chicken breast in thin slices.  Heat olive oil in a medium sized pan.  Add chicken and cook until done.  Salt and pepper to taste. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.

Add additional tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Cook shallots until translucent.  Grate ginger into pan and cook for a minute.  Add lemon juice, hot broth, and bok choy.

To assemble soup, put 1/2 the noodles in each bowl.  Add the chicken.  Divide the broth mixture between the bowls.  Top each bowl with half the basil and mint.