Thursday Yummies!

It's a dreary day out there today. Perfect weather to share a quick soup recipe! The beautiful thing about this soup is that it tastes just like cream soup without the cream, making it much healthier for you.

Broccoli & White Bean Soup

• 2 14-ounce can chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 pound broccoli crowns, trimmed and chopped (about 6 cups)
• 1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed (see Tip)
• 1/2 of a small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provance (See Tip)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

1.  Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Saute the onion and garlic in a separate pan using 1 tablespoon of the butter and a dash of salt. Transfer the onion and garlic to the saucepan. Add broccoli, cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in beans and remaining seasonings. Cook until the beans are heated through, about 1 minute.

2.  Transfer half the mixture to a blender with half the cheese and puree. (If you have an immersion blender, you can do your blending right in the pan) Add the other tablespoon of butter.  Pour the blended soup back into the saucepan and stir. Serve immediately topped with some of the remaining cheddar cheese with crusty bread on the side.

 

Tips

Tip: While I love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties.

Tip: Herbes de Provence is a spice blend available at most supermarkets. If you're like me and don't happen to have any on hand at the moment I have listed a recipe below. I omitted the fennel because I don't care for it and I didn't have any in the cabinet

• 3 Tablespoons dried marjoram
• 3 Tablespoons dried thyme
• 3 Tablespoons dried savory
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

• Preparation:

  Combine marjoram, thyme, savory, basil, rosemary, sage, and fennel. Mix well and spoon into a tightly-lidded jar. Store in a cool, dark place up to 4 months.