Healthy Broccoli Soup

LOVE how many of you also use the sticker method for accountability and motivation.  We should make a team. Team Sticker, unite!  /end dork moment.

So after much thought, and a second bowl, I’ve decided that my homemade broccoli soup is awesome!  even if the cheese did do some weird separation thing…so I am going to share the recipe.

We’ll go with Cream of Broccoli Soup because I’m leaving out the cheese next time.

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of broccoli
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• olive oil
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 can fat-free evaporated milk
• 2 tbsp corn starch (mixed with 2 tbsp cold water)
• salt & pepper

Directions:

• Remove broccoli florets from stalks.  Cut larger pieces to bite-size.
• Trim and peel one broccoli stalk, dice.  (Should equal the same amount as one carrot, diced.)

• In a large pot, heat drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat.  When up to temperature, add onion and sauté about 3 mins.  Add garlic, sauté another minute…then add carrots and broccoli stalks.  Continue to sauté until all veggies start to soften.
• Raise heat to high, add chicken broth and water.  Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add broccoli florets and simmer another 3 minutes (or until broccoli gets tender).

• At this point, you can either remove half the soup to a blender OR do what I did and use your immersion blender to puree at least half of the broccoli into the soup right in the pot. (Remove pot from heat while doing this).

• If you removed to blender, add blended soup back to pot and stir.  Add the evaporated milk and corn starch mixture.  Stir well and bring back to medium boil for about one minute until soup starts to thicken.  Reduce heat and season with salt & pepper as needed.

Lovely! 

(Of course, I then added a cup of grated light cheddar and for some reason it got lumpy…I suggest leaving it out and just putting cheese on top if you want it.)

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This is what I had for lunch today!  I love that it’s hearty, healthy and at least one veggie (if not two) veggie servings in that bowl:

With Kashi Honey Sesame crackers.  Nom!!

Lunch was very late…so no dinner for me. 

We are off to see Avatar (finally) and I a) don’t want anything heavy in my tummy and b) might want a treat at the theatre!  :)