• 1 (8 oz) bag soy curls Or sub 16 oz firm tofu, and skip the rehydration and cooking process. Add the tofu straight to the pot of soup while it simmers, brand Butler
• 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste divided
• 2 to 3 cups water for rehydrating the soy curls
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil For oil-free diets, use water or broth for sauteing, optional
• 1 tablespoon ginger freshly grated
• 5 to 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 talk lemongrass It's also in red curry paste; omit if you can't find it, smashed; cut into 3 or 4 pieces; optional
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more for extra spicy
• 1 large onion chopped
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
• 1 large bell pepper red, yellow or orange; chopped
• 2 handfuls baby spinach raw; optional
• 2 to 3 tablespoons tamari gluten-free; or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup or maple syrup or brown sugar
• 1 lime or lemon, zested and juiced

Optional Garnishes:

• cilantro fresh
• green onion chopped
• 1 large avocado diced