Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup

brocoli
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 1-2/3 cups • Points+: 7 pts • Smart Points: 9
Calories: 236 • Fat: 11 g • Sat Fat: 7 • Carb: 27 g • Fiber: 5 g  • Protein: 18 g
Sodium: 753 mg • Choles: 36 mg
Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour (all purpose, whole wheat or ap gluten-free)
  • 2 1/2 cups less sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 cup fat free milk
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt and fresh pepper
  • 4 cups (about 2 heads) broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
  • 1-1/2 cups reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar
  • 2 slices 2% American cheese
  • 1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions:
Chop onion, carrot, celery, garlic in a chopper or mini food processor.
In a large soup pot, melt butter.  Add chopped vegetables and sauté on low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add flour, salt and pepper to the pot and stir until smooth.
Add chicken broth, milk and potatoes and set heat to high until it comes to a boil, then cover and cook on low until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.
Add broccoli florets, parmesan cheese, and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered until broccoli is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add cheddar and American cheese, stir well and remove from heat.
Using an immersion blender, quickly blend part of the soup for a quick second or two. If you don’t have an immersion blender, remove about 1-2 cups of potatoes and broccoli, place it in your chopper, then add it back to the soup. This helps thicken it a bit.