Broccoli Soup
Well, if you’ve been following my blog you’ve learned that I love to cook. One of my big resolutions for 2017 was to cook more often and set myself goals of making lunch three times a week and dinner four times a week.
It’s been working out pretty well, so I thought I would start to share some of my meal prepping recipes that I’ve been trying out.
The first recipe has been to satisfy my go-to lunch option. Soup. I eat soup probably 3-4 times a week at work and realized that I could a) make healthier soups and b) I could freeze them in small batches and pop them out of the freezer whenever I wanted.
My biggest fear when taking soup to work was getting it all over my handbags. Enter, mason jars. They have become life changing because they are easy to microwave, I can freeze them and they seal so no spill! [CAUTION: the mason jars do get hot when heated so make sure you have a pot holder standing by!]
To serve I always make sure I have a nice bowl at work for any of my meals (because I’m more likely to eat what I brought from home if I feel like my meal is fancier #fact).
Another key to this meal prep has been to use few ingredients (especially ones that are frozen) and stuff you have around the house!
Without further delay, here is my favorite Broccoli Soup recipe!
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cups broth (3 cups water with 1.5 cubes of broth)
8 cups of broccoli florets
3 tablespoons butter (Trust me, for ease divide the two butters)
3 tablespoons all-purpose (regular) flour
2 cups milk OR 1.5 cups milk and 1.5 cups heavy cream (Use heavy cream for a thicker soup)
Salt and Pepper for flavor
Paprika for décor
DIRECTIONS
1. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium sized stock pot and sauté the onion until soft and translucent – do not brown.
2. Add broccoli and broth, cover pot and simmer/cook for 10 minutes.
3. Pour the broccoli/broth combination into a Cuisinart, filling about half way to keep from over spilling onto your entire counter.
4. Pulse the blender to get it smooth, I like to completely pulse the first batch or so and not blend as thoroughly on the last to give my soup some texture. But this is a personal preference. I like to pour the puréed veggies into a different bowl as I go for ease.
5. Pour mixture back into stock pot.
6. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and whisk in flour – DO NOT BURN FLOUR, slowly add and whisk in the milk/heavy cream mixture. Continue whisking making sure to whisk the flour mixture off the bottom of the pan to help the milk thicken.
7. Allow cream to thicken and then add to broccoli purée and stir.
8. Serve with a dash of paprika for some flair.
Source Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/13313/best-cream-of-broccoli-soup/
