Light and Creamy Broccoli Soup

So...are ya tired of soup recipes yet?  Well, buckle up cowboys and cowgirls cause it is soup season for me!  Wait, I think I meant to SADDLE up.  Yea, saddle up.  I could live on soup, so I like to make alot of different kinds!

I am working very hard on eating more green vegetables.  Now before you go thinking, "Oh nice Chris, just drown them in cream sauce", I assure you I eat PLENTY of them fresh and raw or steamed or roasted, etc.  Anyway, everybody knows broccoli in soup should involve some kind of creamy goodness.  I did lighten it up a bit with mostly low sodium chicken stock and you can lighten it up even more using skim milk instead of half and half or cream.   I bet you don't see a single thing wrong with this soup now, do you? *wink*

In all seriousness though, if you are going to eat a cream soup, this is a darn good one that is a bit more figure friendly than probably most versions.  This is also a soup that freezes fabulously.  I mean, if you can cook it once and serve it more than once, it can't be a bad thing, right?

Here is what you will need:
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
4 cups chicken stock (use low sodium if you can)
2 crowns of broccoli cut as small as you like
3 cups of half and half (feel free to choose anything from skim milk to heavy cream)
1 cup grated Parmesan

In a large pot melt butter and add in flour.  Whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes.  Add in chicken stock starting with half of it, whisking and then the other half. 

Simmer for 2 minutes, add in broccoli and half and half.  Stir often and let simmer 15-30 minutes.  If you want it thicker simmer with the lid off and if you want it the consistency it is, simmer with the lid on. 

Just before serving, turn off your stove and add in grated parm, stir and serve!

Enjoy this lightened up version of a cream soup. Now, you get to eat MORE of it!

Your "less means more"chefwannabe