Fitness Friday :: No-Cream of Broccoli Soup

Another favorite soup recipe from The Cooper Kitchen. This one is easy, healthy and low-calorie! Originally written as a vegan recipe, I went and un-veganized it by using a chicken broth base, real butter and evaporated milk. It just tastes so much better to me than using, margarine, cashew-rice milk and “chicken style seasoning” (whatever that is).

But if you are doing the plant-based diet thing, go crazy with your “chicken-style seasoning.”  No condemnation from me.

This soup pairs perfectly with grilled cheese sandwiches or fresh bread. I also serve it with fresh tossed salad, for a healthy, filling dinner.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serving size: 1 ¼ cup
Serves: 8
Calories: 88
Protein: 5 grams
Fiber: 3 grams

Ingredients:

4 cups organic chicken broth, divided
1-2 pounds fresh or frozen broccoli (I use the frozen chopped broccoli—no chopping and cheap!)
2 large celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (I don’t even chop—I just cut into quarters)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup low-fat evaporated milk

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven, combine 2 cups chicken broth, broccoli, celery and onion. Cover and heat to boiling. Turn heat to low and simmer, just until tender—about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, melt butter.

3. To the melted butter, over medium heat, stir in flour. Continue stirring until smooth.

4. Slowly add remaining 2 cups chicken broth, and continue stirring until it boils. Stir for 1 minute after boiling to thicken. Remove from heat.

5. Stir garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper to the creamy mixture and set aside.

6. When vegetables are tender, remove broccoli, onion, celery mixture from heat. Working in batches, transfer to a blender and pulse until smooth. (You can also use an immersion blender here. Whatever you do, be careful. It’s hot.)

7. Combine creamy mixture and blended soup and stir. (For a chunky variation, you can add 2 cups of small broccoli florets at this point and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.)

8. Stir in the evaporated milk and additional salt and pepper, if desired. Stir until heated through. Do not boil the milk (unless you enjoy a film across the top of your soup. )

Next Friday, I will conclude my 3-part Fitness Friday series, Mystery Ingredients Revealed. Between now and then, we all will have eaten Thanksgiving dinner.

(I will have eaten two Thanksgiving dinners plus thrown a 6-year-old birthday party and attended my first fancy holiday party of the season).

(In other words, I will also want to chat a bit about our my plans to undo some damage to the hips and butt.)

 

Happy Weekend!

 

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Linking up with Jill Conyers today, who has a FABULOUSLY motivating post about excuses.