Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup

You can finally feel a touch of fall in the air. The beginning of last week we still had weather in the high 80s, but this week they are predicting low 70s and high 60s. I love this kind of weather, it is perfect for me. The lower temperatures are really making think of comfort foods and soup is definitely at the top of the list.

Although I like to make soup all year round, the fall really gets me craving this comfort food all the more. Which brings me to the potato broccoli cheese soup. We had planted two broccoli plants in the garden this year so I had a ton of broccoli sitting in the fridge. When you pick a head of broccoli off the plant it starts growing more little heads… leaving you with lots and lots of broccoli.

So with a touch of fall in the air and broccoli in the fridge, soup was the answer. I made a few changes to the recipe. The flavor was wonderful and I took it for lunch at work during the week, it had me looking forward for lunch each and every day.

Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup (Source: adapted from skinnyingtaste.com)
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 celery stalk, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons flour
5 cups fat free low sodium chicken broth
2 cups milk
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups broccoli florets chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Chop onions, carrots, celery, garlic.
2. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped vegetables and saute over low heat until, soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add flour, salt and pepper to the pot and stir until smooth.
4. Add chicken broth, milk, and potatoes and turn up the heat to medium high until it comes to a boil, then cover and cook on low until the potatoes are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Add broccoli florets, Parmesan cheese and stir well. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Cook uncovered until broccoli is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the cheddar cheese, stir well and remove from heat.
Serve and enjoy!