Soup, Salad....Hold the Breadsticks

This is my second attempt at making broccoli soup - and it went much better! I love the cheesy-broccoli soup you find at Panera-type places. In my previous attempt, I cut out way too much of the fat, it ended up being a thin, green soupy mess!

This time around, I was still able to keep out the butter and processed cheese, but by adding potatoes, a little flour and some 2% cheese & milk, I was able to yield a creamy and delicious soup.

I served it with a very quick and simple iceberg wedge salad with homemade creamy ranch dressing. Jamie looked a little puzzled, since it didn't look like a traditional salad, but it was a nice change, and he used less dressing than he normally would, since it was drizzled so nicely!

Baked-Potato & Broccoli Soup
My Recipes

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth, divided
3 cups peeled, cubed potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 (8-ounce) block 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
7 teaspoons shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
7 teaspoons fully cooked bacon pieces
7 teaspoons chopped green onions I omitted, didn't have any

Preparation
Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup chicken broth until smooth.
Combine remaining chicken broth and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven.

Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.

Stir in milk and 8 ounces shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Top each serving of soup with 1 teaspoon cheese, 1 teaspoon bacon pieces, and 1 teaspoon chopped green onions.

Yield
Makes 7 servings (serving size: 1 cup) (serving size: 1 cup)


Iceberg Wedge Salad with Creamy Bacon Ranch Dressing

1 head of iceberg lettuce, divided in half, core removed, washed, dried
chopped tomatoes
diced red onion
a few teaspoons of bacon bits leftover from the soup
1/3 cup light mayo
3 tbsp fat free sour cream
1/4 tsp parsley
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/2-1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients. Sprinkle salad toppings on lettuce, and drizzle dressing.