Today was another snow day for my kids.  They weren’t expecting it so it was the ultimate awesome surprise.  Remember that feeling???  To celebrate their special day, they asked to make lemon cupcakes.  Well lemon happens to be my favorite kind of cake, so of course the answer was SURE (smart girls!)  They love to bake and each made their own batch of icing from scratch.  One vanilla, one chocolate.   So yes, we had ourselves some chocolate-frosted lemon cupcakes.  I wasn’t in the mood to challenge this decision and guess what?  Maybe this is old news, but it turns out chocolate and lemon is a surprisingly tasty combo – if you haven’t already, I dare you to try it sometime! 

While they were making a giant mess baking away, I decided it was a perfect day for this comforting soup.  Loaded with veggies, I lightened it up by using fat free milk and reduced fat cheese.   

lowfat broccoli cheese soup

I chopped up all my veggies, and got them into the pot with a little butter and olive oil.  Then I let them simmer away in some chicken broth and thickened it all with a flour/milk mixture.  I finished it with a handful of shredded cheese.   This is truly a one pot wonder and incredibly easy to make!  And ready in under 30 minutes!

lowfat broccoli cheese soup

 

 

lowfat broccoli cheese soup

Lowfat Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 4 small/medium sized Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 head broccoli florets
  • 6 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup fat free milk
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Instructions

  • Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
  • Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add potatoes and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until veggies are soft.
  • Add the broccoli and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
  • Whisk flour and milk together in a small bowl and pour into the soup. Stir to combine and continue to stir as soup thickens.
  • Stir in the cheese until melted. Add salt and pepper.

 

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