Soup-a-licious!
I love cooking, partially for the creative aspect of it, and partially because it’s delicious (actually, that IS most of the reason!), but also because I can control the nutritional profile. I try to avoid preservatives, so I’m big on homemade food, and often, homemade food is more nutritious than any bought in a super-market or a restaurant. So it shouldn’t come as any surprise that I took a restaurant favourite, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, and found a way to amp up the nutrition, without losing any of the flavour. This hearty soup is great to serve on a cold evening, with some homemade bread, or to pack for lunch with a crunchy apple. Yummy AND healthy? Bring it on!
Oh, and the title? About how to live forever? Totes click bait. But kind of also true, because broccoli is suuuuuuuper-high in antioxidants, and anti-oxidants fight the free radicals that cause aging damage. Wait, is this a beauty blog? No. So enough with the anti-aging (although up with the healthy!) and let’s get on with the cooking!
This Broccoli Cheddar Soup is low fat, as we use milk instead of the usual cream. But, it’s still thick and creamy! How? The secret ingredient is dehydrated broccoli, which we use in addition to the usual fresh (or frozen) broccoli; that’s how we double the nutrition and increase the flavour, without losing any taste. I used my own dehydrated broccoli, but you could probably just replace it with greens powder if you aren’t able to find or make any; nobody will know, and you’ll all be healthier for it!
So, shall we get soup-ifying?
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
(adapted from the Food Network’s recipe for similar soup)
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 c. flour
- 2 c. milk
- 3 c. vegetable bouillon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 c. broccoli
- 3/4 c. dehydrated broccoli (or greens powder)
- 1 carrot, cut into chunks
- 1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
First, we make the roux: melt the butter in a soup pot, and stir in the flour. Cook for two minutes. Whisk in milk. Fair warning, it will get lumpy, but just keep whisking and it will smooth out. Then stir in bouillon. Add bay leaves, nutmeg, salt and pepper (I leave out the salt, personally, but I prefer lower salt soups). Then add in broccoli, carrot, and dehydrated broccoli. Let it cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until the broccoli can be easily pierced with a fork. Use an immersion blender to blend soup until it is the desired thickness that you like. Take soup off the burner and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then stir in cheddar cheese. (Letting the soup cool a bit before stirring in the cheese means the cheese won’t get all lumpy. Win!)
So. Cheese? In broccoli soup form? Yas! In other words, make this soup, and let me know what you think!
Next Post: Hmm. Good question. I’ve been craving carbs lately, so maybe something baked and carbalicious. Mmm…baked goods. So yum!
I tried this recipe this afternoon and it was delicious. This was the first time I have eaten broccoli cheddar soup that did not come out of a can, ugh, never again.
Of course, I made substitutions, I used chicken broth and left out the bay leaves and nutmeg since this was also for hubby. He is always skeptical when trying a new recipe. He liked it! The next time I make it I will try slipping the spices in.
I also did not have any dehydrated broccoli but I do think it would be good in the soup. Soon I plan on dehydrating some to add the next time I make it.
It was yummy and very easy to make after working outside all afternoon in the cold.
Yay! So glad you and the hubby liked it! 🙂
Hubby requested it and I made it again! However, the second time I added more broccoli and it was even better. Yesterday I decided to get creative and use bok choy since I was out of broccoli. Don’t bother, stick with broccoli, yuk.
Bok choy a no go? Good to know! (It’s late as I type this, so I’m rhyming my answer, because why not.)
Glad the hubs liked it.