Thai Peanut Soup

Ingredients

Soup
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
• 1/4 of an onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, chopped, remove the seeds fo less heat
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons thai red curry paste
• 3 cups caned coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cans)
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, plus additional for garnish
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped for garnish
Grilled Peanut Butter Croutons
• 8 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
• 8 tablespoons peanut butter, or more if desired
• butter or oil, for the pan

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with fork. Bake directly on the rack until tender, 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes.
2. Once cool use your hands to peel away the sweet potatoes skin. It should just easily slip off. Place the potatoes in a medium size bowl. Mash with a fork and set aside.
3. Heat one tablespoon of the peanut oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until just softened. Add the jalapeno and garlic, saute 1 minute. Stir in the curry paste and add the coconut milk and broth, stir to combine. Then add the mashed sweet potato, again, stir to combine. Then either remove the pot from heat and pour mixture into a food processor or blender or puree mixture in pot with an immersion blender. If using food processor or blender, pour back into pot. Stir in peanut butter, cilantro, cayenne (if using) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the remain peanut oil and adjust salt to taste. Serve hot with the peanut butter croutons, chopped peanuts and cilantro.
4. To make the Peanut Butter Croutons toast each piece of bread and then slather with peanut butter. Heat a skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon or so of butter or oil. Grill each sandwich for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cut into squares and serve with the soup.
5. *I love the peanut butter in this recipe, but if you have a peanut allergy cashew butter or almond butter would be great substitutes!