Thai Chili Soup

PALEO is not to far from how me and my family were eating previous to this CAVEWOMAN ADVENTURE. A few adjustments in the dairy department and that's about it. However for a week I will be cooking for not only my kids but for 3 girls that I ADORE and consider my own. This means I am going to have to get a little more creative in my cooking. I will be serving what I normally cook for my family but will be making some adjustment for the girls...after all I do want them to ENJOY the time that I am with them and not feel like the FOOD NAZI has taken over the kitchen!  

So for my first go at cooking for 3 new palates I thought I would try a THAI CHILI SOUP, which was inspired by a container of Thai chili's I bought and had no idea what i was going to do with them. This happens a lot, even with me having a list, its like I need at least one challenge for every time I go to the store :)

Below you will find the recipes as I would do it if I were just feeding me. These are the adjustment I made for the girls...

1. I left the meat out until the end and let the girls add which kind they liked as I had some who liked chicken and some who like shrimp (I added both to my bowl :))

2. I dropped the Thai chili's in at the very end for just a couple minutes and did not serve them in the girls bowls, they are a pretty hot chili. I added them to my bowl and pierced them in the bowl.

3. The ginger seemed to be a little much for beautiful little diners so I would suggest maybe doing a minced ginger if you have smaller diners (OK all but one of my diners is as tall or taller than me :)).

                                                      Ingredients

14 oz. coconut milk

14 oz. reduced-sodium chicken broth

6 quarter-size slices fresh ginger

1 pound chicken or shrimp

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce 

1 teaspoon Thai chili paste

6 whole Thai (optional),

2 cups baby bok choy

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Kosher salt

pepper

Preparation

  

Season chicken or shrimp with salt and pepper and sauté in a medium pot (if cooking shrimp cook until barely pink, they will continue to cook once it hits the soup). Once meat is cooked pull it from pot and set aside combine coconut milk, broth, ginger and bring to boil over high heat. Add meat back to the pot, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce, and chili paste. Pierce the Thai chili's drop in pot, let flavors develop 10 minutes or so. Add baby bok choy, basil and cilantro for just a few minutes right before serving.

Garnish with more cilantro and a lime wedge