Broccoli and Cheese Soup

I have been wanting to try this recipe for over a year. We had it tonight and it is definitely going into my soup rotation. Based on the comments, I do want to try it with sharp cheese next time because that is one of my favorite cheeses and it is easy to find a lower-fat version.

Some of the individuals who rated the recipe stated it was a little bland so I added a black/red pepper blend instead of the black pepper and also added a touch of cayenne pepper because Dale loves that spice anyway. It had just the right kick for me.

And for the record Janae, I did not serve this with baked potatoes. Some fruit and raw red peppers on the side with sour dough bread and the meal was complete.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Outstanding

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Add voluptuous texture to a low-calorie soup by using processed cheese, which melts beautifully. Mix a small portion of the soup in the blender to add body.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced *I used 4 cloves based on comments by others.
  
• 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets *I chopped these based on comments by others.
  
• 2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk *I used skim milk.
  
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper *I used a black/red pepper blend.
  
• 8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light) *I used grated mexican cheese blend instead.

Note: I also added a little cayenne pepper based on comments for added flavor.

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.

Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper (and spices). Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor , and process until smooth (I skipped this since the broccoli was already chopped.). Return pureed soup mixture to pan.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 203 (28% from fat)

Fat: 6.3g (sat 4g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.4g)

Protein: 15.6g

Carbohydrate: 21.7g

Fiber: 2.9g

Cholesterol: 24mg

Iron: 1.2mg

Sodium: 897mg

Calcium: 385mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2002