Homemade Tomato Soup

The warmth and cozy feeling you get when you eat this soup comes from the LOVE, which is the little pinch of cinnamon and drops of fresh lemon juice.
Making your own homemade soup is a great way to get those extra nutrients that you may have missed on those busy days and you reduce the amount of sodium and preservatives that you would consume if you ate a soup that came from a can or box. I always make a double batch of soup so that I can freeze some for another week. Add some fresh spinach or kale to this soup right before serving to give your body some extra calcium, fibre and antioxidants. 

796 ml Organic diced tomatoes (BPA free can)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
A little pinch of cinnamon
3/4 cup carrots (medium diced)
1/3 cup celery (medium diced)
3/4 cup white onion (medium diced)
2 garlic cloves (peeled and roughly crushed)
1/2 cup white sweet potato (skin on, medium diced)
3/4 teaspoon chili flakes (I like it spicy, you can reduce the amount of chili flakes)
2 tablespoons organic olive oil or virgin coconut oil
4 cups organic chicken stock
Juice of half a lemon (This is optional, add to soup after it has been pureed)
1-2 tablespoons of fresh soft goat cheese (This is optional, add to soup after it has been pureed) 

Method
Note- Omit the maple syrup and you've got yourself a low carb soup
Chop all of your vegetables into a medium dice
Heat your soup pot and add your coconut oil
Add all of your vegetables, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and sautee for about 5 minutes or until they become a little soft and fragrant
Add your chicken stock, cinnamon, chili flakes, maple syrup and diced tomatoes
Cover and simmer for 25 minutes
Blend the soup with a good blender (like a Vitamix) until smooth and creamy like.
Optional: squeeze the fresh lemon and stir in the soft goat.

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