We've finally reached 80 degree weather here...and it's nearly November. Not sure I'll really ever get used to the 'seasons' here. However, we will get a little taste of fall/winter next week as we head to Denver. When I visit my mom it is usually a balance of her cooking our favorites and me introducing a few new recipes. If the weather is chilly (which I'm sure it will be), this is a likely contender. Lots of veggies and lots of cheese are always a great pairing.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. butter
1 chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrot * See note below
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
3 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. sea salt (this seemed like a lot, I just eye-balled it)
1/2 Tbps. freshly ground black pepper (again, to taste)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup whole milk
3 cups chopped broccoli (about bite size)
2 cups chopped cauliflower (finely chopped)
1-2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated (I omitted and just did a total of 2 cups cheddar)
Directions
1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add onions, carrots, red pepper, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and potatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with water, add to soup along with the broccoli and cauliflower. Simmer until broccoli is tender, another 10-15 minutes. Add milk and cook until heated through. If the soup is a bit too thick, add water or broth slowly until desired consistency is reached and bring back to a simmer. Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.
*note- Instead of taking so much time finely dicing, I buzzed the soup with an immersion blender after the potatoes were tender and before I added the flour mixture, broccoli, and cauliflower. This helped to thicken the soup as well.
from My Green Diet
