healthy

Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup

food, meal plans, soup, tips, vegetables

It’s cold outside today and after a trip to the grocery store I’ve decided on broccoli cheese soup for dinner. It meets all my criteria – it works for our family’s “Meatless Mondays,” and it’s peak broccoli season, which satisfies the Paleo challenge.IMG_9809

Many broccoli cheese soups feel so heavy that you’re left wondering if it was truly healthy. That’s a common theme in America: the idea that because it’s a vegetable it must be good for us. Ummm … not when you fry it or dump cheese all over it!

I promise this recipe is healthy and tasty. I use mostly chicken broth with only a half cup of 1% milk, and a good sharp cheddar cheese so that a little can go a long way. A few other tips include steaming all the vegetables and including some cauliflower to help thicken the soup. Cauliflower can often act as a starch, but without the carbs that come from potatoes. I’m not a big cornstarch fan so this soup’s heartiness truly comes from the vegetables.

I also have to consider my 3-year-old daughter’s dinner, and she won’t eat soup. I’ve decided to reserve some of the steamed broccoli for her, and throw together a quick cheese sandwich and some fruit. Dinner is done!

I’ve included ranges for this recipe’s ingredients because you may need to increase or decrease the amount based on your preference. I don’t believe in exact measurements (except for baking – that must be precise!). Many nights we open the refrigerator door and need to make the most of the ingredients on-hand. This broccoli soup consists of staples and can be thrown together within 30 minutes and serves four people.

Ingredients:IMG_9722
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 cups chicken broth
1/4 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks
1-2 cups cauliflower
2-3 cups broccoli
1 chicken or vegetable bouillon cube
1 tsp of white pepper

Instructions:
Steam the onion, celery, cauliflower, garlic and broccoli together until tender, about 20 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of broccoli.
Place remaining steamed vegetables, chicken broth, and the bouillon cube in a pot and simmer for a few minutes.
Turn off heat and gradually stir in cheese, milk and white pepper.
Use a blender or hand immersion blender to puree until desired consistency. Then add the reserved broccoli and pulse until just combined.
Serve with garlic bread or side salad.

Welcome to My Tasteful Life

Paleo

Welcome to my blog on cooking, family and life. I’m a former marketing executive who still does consulting on the side, a physician’s wife, and the mother of a happy and energetic little girl. Some women are crafty, some women run marathons, but I cook. Finding ways to cook healthier meals without losing flavor is my continual goal. I don’t mind spending a little time thinking about a tentative weekly menu or spending an hour prepping if it yields multiple meals.

If you don’t like being in the kitchen, then this isn’t the blog for you. My Tasteful Life is about enjoying food and reducing the stress that comes from cooking for a family. I aim to provide recipes, meal plans, and tips on how to make one meal into two, and give readers unique and satisfying meals that make their effort worth it.

This year I’ve challenged myself to follow the Paleo Diet, which focuses on eating seasonally and locally. I’m already pretty good at shopping at the farmer’s market and locally owned stores. But I want to embrace eating what’s in season and not just what’s being craved.

Last year my family faced my idea of “Meatless Mondays” with a positive attitude (of course they had to endure it since I’m the one who cooks), and we all found it to be a great way to eat more veggies and lighten up a weeknight meal. Together with my new morning veggie, fruit and protein smoothies, I was able to drop a few pounds and keep them off all year. I think following Paleo will push us all a little further, and that is the point of life – to challenge ourselves, grow and do our best to enjoy the ride.