Creamy Chicken and Cauliflower Soup

I love soup.  All kinds of soups, stews, chowders. Soups with veggies only, soups with beans, and soup with everything but the kitchen sink.  Let's face it: it's usually easy to make, you can usually use your crockpot, there is endless variety, it's customizable, it heats up easily in small portions, it's portable (think lunch)....what's not to love?  So when I was craving potato soup the other day, and even though I'm no a low-carber I still blanched at the thought of all the starch, I decided that potato soup made with cauliflower (love cauliflower!) and the chicken breasts that just happened to be thawed out in the fridge would be the ticket--and it was! I'm not going to tell you one of those cauliflower lies--"TASTES EXACTLY LIKE POTATOES!"-- it doesn't, it tastes like cauliflower, but it does taste delicious.

 

CREAMY CHICKEN AND CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Recipe by Glenna Anderson Muse

Makes 10 cups

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 cup Celery, diced

1 medium Onion, diced

1 cup Carrot, diced

1 qt (32oz) Chicken Broth

2 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon Reduced Sodium Chicken Soup base

(found with bouillon in the grocery store)

2  5 oz Chicken breasts

1 head (approx. 4 cups) Cauliflower, chopped into 1" florets

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp pepper

Salt to taste

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2cups 2% milk

2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

 

Directions--Stove Top:

1)  Sautee celery, onion, and carrot in olive oil until onion is translucent in large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.

2)  Add chicken broth, chicken soup base (deepens flavor), chicken breasts, thyme, marjoram, oregano, and pepper.  Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked through.

3)  Remove chicken, cut into small pieces, and return to pot.  Add cauliflower florets and simmer until tender (approx. 20 minutes).  Meanwhile, mix flour and milk together in small bowl, adding milk a small amount at a time to flour and whisking together until smooth.

5)When cauliflower is tender, add milk/flour mixture and cheese, and continue to simmer for 10 more minutes stirring occasionally until thickened.  Taste and add salt or other seasonings as needed

 

Directions-- Slow Cooker (Crockpot)

1)  Sautee celery, onion, and carrot in olive oil until onion is translucent in large skillet over medium heat

2)  Add vegetables to 6 qt slow cooker crock.  Add chicken broth, chicken soup base (deepens flavor), chicken breasts, thyme, marjoram, oregano, and pepper.  Cook on high for approximately 4 hours or until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked through.

3)  Remove chicken, cut into small pieces, and return to cooker.  Add cauliflower florets and simmer until tender, approx. 45 minutes --1 hour. 

Meanwhile, mix flour and milk together in small bowl, adding milk a small amount at a time to flour and whisking together until smooth.

5)When cauliflower is tender, add milk/flour mixture and cheese, and continue to simmer for 20-30 more minutes stirring occasionally until thickened. Taste and salt or other seasonings as needed.

Nutrition per 1 cup:  Calories:  184;  Protein:  17;  Carbs:  10;  Fat:  7;  Fiber 2.5