Healthified Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, broccoli, bay leaves, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and few grinds of black pepper Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the broth has thickened and the broccoli is very tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prick the potato all over with a fork and put on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high until tender, flipping halfway through, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then peel. Use a fork or potato masher to mash until crumbly.
• Reserve 2 cups of the soup in a liquid measuring cup and discard the bay leaves. Let the remaining hot soup cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender, filling no more than halfway. Add the mashed potato. Remove the center cap from the lid and place it on the blender. Cover the lid with a folded kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until very smooth.
• Stir the pureed soup and reserved 2 cups of soup back into the pot. Whisk in the cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into serving bowls and top with more shredded Cheddar.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic until tender, about 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth, heavy cream, and broccoli. Bring to a boil; simmer until broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Add Cheddar cheese gradually, stirring constantly, until completely melted. Stir in bacon pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Separate the stems and the florets from the broccoli. Trim and discard the bottom of the broccoli stems and peel the tough outer layers. Finely chop the stems and coarsely chop the florets and set aside separately.
• Mist a large pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the broccoli stems, onions and potatoes and cook, stirring, until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the vegetables are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the reserved florets and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and continue to steam until the florets are bright green and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the entire contents of the pot with the florets to the soup along with the nutmeg. Stir to combine and remove from the heat. Stir in the Cheddar, Worcestershire and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the scallions.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and cook for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk together the milk and flour until the flour dissolves. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes. Add one cup of the cheese and cook, stirring, until melted, 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
• Working with about 1 cup at a time, puree the broccoli mixture in a blender until it is mostly smooth but still has some chunks, and then transfer it to another pot. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.) Stir the cheese mixture into the broccoli puree, season with salt and black pepper to taste, and cook over medium-low heat until warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes more. Serve garnished with the remaining cheese.
• Excellent source of Calcium, Folate, Iodine, Phosphorus, Potassium, Protein, Riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K
• Good source of Copper, Fiber, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Pantothenic Acid, Selenium, Niacin, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Zinc
• BEFORE:
• 700 CAL.
• Sat. Fat 36g, Chol. 170mg
• Fiber 3g, Sodium 1440mg
• AFTER:
• 320 CAL.
• Sat. Fat 9g, Chol. 45mg
• Fiber 4g, Sodium 660mg

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, half-and-half, both potatoes, bay leaf, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl; add 3 tablespoons water and season with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes; drain.
• When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaf from the soup and transfer the soup to a blender. Puree until smooth, leaving the filler cap slightly open to let steam escape (or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender). Return the soup to the pot and thin with water, if necessary. Return to a simmer over medium-low heat; stir in the broccoli and season with salt and pepper.
• Add the cheese and stir until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons, if desired.

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the bread bowls: Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the top of each loaf, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Remove the bread top, then hollow out the middle with a fork or your fingers, leaving a thick bread shell.
• Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.)
• Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into the bread bowls and garnish with cheese.