Better Broccoli Cheddar

Today started off kinda rough…

…it called for two cups of coffee. That’s serious business.

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Luckily my evening was MUCH better.

Broccoli Cheddar soup makes any day better.

Especially one that is free of flour and heavy cream– so it won’t stick to your hips.

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Better Broccoli Cheddar Soup
serves 4-6

inspired by Doris Choi

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon organic butter
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, shredded (about 1 cup shredded)
4 stalks (heads?) broccoli (about 4-5 cups of chopped florets, plus stems)
6oz. block of raw goat cheddar, shredded
3-4 cups water
Pink Himalayan, or sea salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat and saute the chopped onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, until translucent.

Add the chopped celery, and a splash of water to keep everything moving:

*Using water during the cooking process is a great way to keep the fat content low! (no need to add any extra oil or butter!)

While the onions and celery are cooking (about 5 more minutes) I took the time to shred my carrots, along with the broccoli stems that might otherwise be wasted…

Salad Shooters make life better.

(That’s a fact.)

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Add the shredded carrots and broccoli stems into the pot.

Along with the broccoli florets, adding just enough water to cover. (about 3-4 cups)

Bring the water to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

Once the veggies are nice and tender, transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor.

If you’re using a blender, make sure your batches are small and BE CAREFUL! Hot soups tend to create a LOT of pressure while blending, so hold the top down tight!!

Once it’s all blended, return the pureed soup to the stove for the finishing touches.

Re-heat the soup, and add the nutmeg and sea salt, to taste. (I started with 1 teaspoon of Himalayan salt)

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Time to add the best part–> the goat cheddar!!

(bonus points: shredding the goat cheddar by hand is a great arm workout!)

Stir until nice and melt-y.

Taste, and add more seasoning, if necessary. (I added a touch more salt– I love the stuff…)

Then serve piping hot!

This soup totally hit the comfort-food spot for me.

I hope it does the same for you!

Related posts:

1. How to: Roast Broccoli
2. Broccoli and “Rice” Casserole
3. Cheesy Broccoli Mash
4. Vegan Recipe: Tortilla Soup
5. Savory Quinoa Pilaf