Skinny Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups unsalted vegetable stock
4 cups broccoli florets, coarsely chopped
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 chopped carrot
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 + 1/8 cup fat free half-and-half
4 ounces shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional, garnish)

Nutritional Info

Serving Size: 4
Calories: 183
Carbs: 16 g
Fat: 6 g
Protein: 11 g
Sodium: 684 mg
Sugar: 7 g

Directions

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender.

Turn off the heat. Using an immersion (hand) blender, blend the soup until it's creamy. [Alternatively if you don't have a hand blender you can use a regular blender: Pour soup into a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return soup to pan.]

Stir in 1/4 cup + 1/8 cup half-and-half and 2 ounces cheese. You don't need to turn the stove back on again, the residual heat from the soup should melt the cheese.

Top evenly with remaining 1 tbsp cheese per bowl and parsley.