Lunch & Dinner - Creamy Broccoli Soup

Bought broccoli on Tuesday.  Bought broccoli on Thursday.  Bought broccoli on Saturday!?

My recent (house) move has often left me feeling like I've lost my mind.  I'm behind on laundry, forget what I went upstairs to get, and don't yet have my grocery groove back.  I'm buying too much of one thing, not enough (or any at all) of another.  Hence the 8 bunches of broccoli that I found in my refrigerator on Sunday morning!

We love broccoli, as a side dish or in pasta.  But 8 bunches of broccoli is even to much for us!  What could I possibly do with all of this broccoli?  Broccoli Soup!  I called my mom, wrote down her recipe and got to work.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

4 bunches broccoli, cut into florets, stalks peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

900 ml reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, season with salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally until softened.  Approx 10 minutes.
2. Add broccoli, potato, broth and enough water to cover to the pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.  Simmer until broccoli and potatoes are fork-tender, approx 30 minutes.
3. Using a blender or immersion blender, puree vegetables and broth until smooth.  Adjust soup's consistency with water if needed.  Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.  Serve with crusty bread.
4. Serves 8.

This soup is creamy without adding cream, making it low in fat.  It makes me feel less guilty about serving it with fresh bread.  The recipe is officially Big-A approved - he loved it! 

*TIPS*

1. Add frozen peas to the pot 5 minutes before removing from the heat.  This will add fibre and make a brighter green soup.

2. Add a cup of raw grated carrot to the onions and olive oil, adding flavour and vitamins to the soup.

3. Once the soup is pureed, season with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
4. Freeze in single-portion containers for up to a month.  Perfect for work lunches!