Recipe: Broccoli-cheddar Chowder

I LOVE a hot soup on a cold night.  And I really love the anything with cheese.  I adore Panera’s broccoli-cheddar soup – but it is extremely high in calories. 

So I present to you a healthier version:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large carrot - diced
• 2 stalks celery. - diced
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 large potato - diced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 14 ounce cans broth
• 8 ounces broccoli crowns
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat up the olive oil and add carrots and celery:

 

 

 

 

Cook for 5 minutes.

Add potato and garlic:

 

 

 

 

 

Cook for 2 minutes.

Add flour:

 

 

 

 

 

Dry mustard:

 

 

 

 

 

And cook for another 2 minutes.

Add broth and broccoli:

Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 20 minutes.

Take out 2 cups and blend – I used my handy dandy wand blender:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour that back in to saucepan.

Add cheese and sour cream:

 

 

 

 

Cook for 3 minutes or until all cheese is melted.

Serve it up!!