Sasha's Kitchen: Coconut and Lemongrass Soup

My mom recently got my husband a cookbook.  This cookbook has some great techniques for preparing healthy and type 1 friendly foods that we both have really enjoyed so far from New York Chef Sam Talbot (of Top Chef fame), who is a juvenile onset diabetic.  I do like to cook plenty of sweet stuff as well, but it's good to have some balance.  I've enjoyed each of the meals I have made from Sam's cookbook so far and plan to try one of his noodle recipes soon.  The first recipe I made was for this delicious coconut lemongrass soup, which uses agave nectar to sweeten slightly, naturally, rather than sugar or honey.

Coconut & Lemongrass Soup (recipe adapted from Sam Talbot's The Sweet Life)
3 T extra virgin olive oil (instead of using my own roasted garlic olive oil, as the recipe called for)
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
1/4 cup chopped lemongrass
1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (original recipe calls for two)
3 garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 cups light coconut milk
2 T agave nectar
1 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
juice of two limes

In a medium soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, lemongrass, ginger, jalapenos and garlic.  Cook until the onion is translucent and the ginger and garlic have softened, about two minutes.  Mix in the stock, coconut milk and agave nectar.  Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for about thirty minutes.  All the flavors of the ginger, lemongrass etc. will absorb into the broth.  Strain the soup if you prefer (as we did and reserved the flavorful broth).  Mix in the bean sprouts, cilantro and lime juice and serve.  This was a flavorful and healthy dinner!