HEALTHY Broccoli Cheddar Soup from Ellie Krieger!

Ellie Krieger's Broccoli Cheddar Soup from her Web site When it comes to favorite foods and healthier versions, I always look to Ellie Krieger. She's a wonderful nutritionis/chef with a number of terrific cookbooks and a great Web site.  I own "The Food You Crave" which I have mentioned here on the blog before, writing about such recipes as Sloppy Joes and Pumpkin Muffins.  My Roasted Butternut Squash Mac 'N Cheese was greatly inspired by one of Ellie's recipes.  Ellie knows that we want the foods we want, and she brings those comforting indulgences to us in much more nutrition-friendly renditions.  You CAN indulge without guilt! Today I bring you Ellie's healthy recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Here in the northeast, we are experiencing a winter storm named Hercules with lots of snow and temperatures hovering at or below zero. I don't know how Herculean this storm is -- just seems like typical winter snow and cold so far -- but a warm bowl of steaming, cheesy soup would really take the chill off! And since we're so new into 2014, trimming that rich, indulgent dish of some of its calories and fat (without even noticing!) is a very good idea! Broccoli Cheddar Soup 2 cups 1% low-fat milk 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 cup lightly packed, shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces) 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 large head broccoli, florets and tender part of stems, chopped (6 cups) 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper In a small saucepan whisk the milk and flour together until the flour is dissolved. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Then the reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until the mixture has thickened. Stir in the cheese and cook until melted, another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. Heat the oil in a soup pot over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg cook an additional 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and chicken broth and bring 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. 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 pepper and cook over a medium-low heat for an additional 3-5 minutes, until warmed through. Makes 4 servings Serving size: 1 ½ cups Per Serving: Calories 290; Total Fat 15 g; (Sat Fat 8 g, Mono Fat 5.2 g, Poly Fat 0.85 g) ; Protein 19 g; Carb 23 g; Fiber 4 g; Cholesterol 35 mg; Sodium 620 mg 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 Copyright 2011 Ellie Krieger All rights reserved  Ellie's Web site: http://www.elliekrieger.com/broccoli-cheddar-soup