Skinny Cream of Broccoli Soup

This soup is so creamy and flavorful, you'll have a hard time convincing anyone it's "skinny". 

Skinny Cream of Broccoli Soup

makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 10 cups small broccoli florets (about 1 1/4 pounds)

• 1 onion, diced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (try my homemade recipe)

• 2 cups skim milk

• salt and pepper to taste

• Garnish: shredded cheddar, croutons, oven roasted broccoli spears

Directions

1. In a 6-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute broccoli and onions in olive oil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until they begin to soften and caramelize.

2. Add garlic and saute for about 3 minutes more; stirring constantly.

3. Add flour and stir until vegetables are coated.

4. Add chicken stock and milk and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Cool for 5 minutes before pureeing. Garnish if desired. Serves 4. Adapted from Simple Success.

adapted from Simple Success

Nutritional Stats Per Serving

• (1 cup of soup plus 1 slice of 100 calorie whole grain bread)

• 260 calories

• 8g fat

• 3g saturated fat

• 15g protein

• 38g carbohydrates

• 11g fiber

• 10g sugar

• 430mg sodium

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5-Star Ham and Potato Soup

I found this soup on a popular recipe sharing site - it had earned the highest rating of 5 stars after more than 6,000 reviews so naturally, I had to try it.  I prepared the first batch as the recipe was written and it was quite tasty, but I knew I could get even more flavor by tweaking here and there - so that's the version I'll share with you today.  The family loved it (even my picky eater), and my neighbor asked for the recipe after she enjoyed 2 bowls.  This one's a winner folks.      

5-Star Ham and Potato Soup

Printable Recipe

serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled and diced thin-skinned red or white potatoes (not baking potatoes such as Idaho or Russet)

• 4 cups very flavorful homemade chicken stock

• 1 tablespoon dried parsley

• 1 bay leaf

• 6 tablespoons butter, divided

• 1/3 cup minced celery

• 1/3 cup finely minced onion

• 3-4 cups diced cooked ham

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 cups whole milk

• Optional Garnish: fresh parsley, chives, scallions, cheese, bacon, crackers, croutons, etc

Directions

1. Place the diced potatoes, dried parsley, bay leaf, and chicken stock in a medium saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes.

3. Remove saucepan from heat; do not drain.

4. In a large skillet, saute the ham, onions, and celery in 1 tablespoon of butter until the vegetables are soft and translucent.

5. Add the sautéed ingredients to the potato and chicken stock mixture.

6. In the same large skillet, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter; add the four, salt, and pepper and whisk for 1-2 minutes to cook the raw flavor out of the flour.

7. Slowly add the milk and whisk to combine; continue whisking until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble; pour mixture into the saucepan that contains the ham and potatoes; stir to combine. Garnish and serve.

adapted from allrecipes.com