Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

Back to soup. Wanting to change up our normal grocery list, we picked up some broccoli. Intended for some sort of stir-fy, or some Chinese-style dish, we instead opted to use the whole bag for soup.

We also opted to indulge a little, and combine a little half & half into this soup. After all, it's mostly broccoli, a little something extra isn't exactly going to make this an unhealthy dinner, right?

The color was a bit of a shocking green, but the taste was spot-on. I think next time we'll use either a white cheddar or a sharper yellow cheddar, as the cheese flavor could have been a little stronger.

 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
recipe adapted from Blendtec
-----
Yield:
2 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups broccoli florets, steamed
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup half & half
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 oz cheddar cheese, shredded or roughly chopped

Method:
Add ingredients to Blendtec in the order listed above, and then select "Soup."

Garnish with a little shredded cheese and a few drops of sriracha, and serve.

Additional Notes:
The half & half did create quite a thick soup, but we didn't mind. If you want your consistency to be more liquid, substitute water for the half & half.

Also, to prevent you from having to microwave your soup once it's made, be sure the broccoli is still warm/hot from being steamed, and warm the broth prior to adding it to the Blendtec. These steps will ensure you have hot soup right from the Blendtec!
-----

Tortilla Soup

It's been a rainy few days here in San Francisco. Rainy days mean soup cravings. Here's another gem of a Blendtec recipe. It's foolproof. And super delicious.

We added a little avocado and Sriracha love to complete the dish.

 

Tortilla Soup
recipe slightly adapted from Blendtec cookbook
-----
Yield:
~4 cups of soup.
Enough for a hearty meal for 2. More servings if serving with another dish.

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup bell pepper, cut in big slices
1 avocado, divided in half
1/4 small onion
2 tbsp pepper jack cheese
couple sprigs fresh cilantro
1 tsp taco seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cup warm water
1/2 cup tortilla chips

Method:
Add ingredients in order listed to blendtec, except 1/2 the avocado and the tortilla chips. Press "Soups" and let the bledntec run its course. Once done, add the tortilla chips to the jar and "Pulse" 3-4 times until the chips are incorporated and the soup has reached the desired consistency.

Serve soup in bowls. Add remainder 1/2 avocado (diced) for a nice texture and garnish. We also added a few drops of Sriracha, for an added spice.
-----

Asparagus Soup

Spring is here! Here in SF, here's how we decided to celebrate the arrival of spring: with a hot cup of soup. We used asparagus, though. That makes it spring-like, right?

H introduced me to the idea of asparagus soup. And, while I'm a big fan of my green veggies, green veggie soup seemed like a wild (and weird) concept. I went with it anyway. Life is an adventure. Plus, we used the Blendtec, so no matter the end result, at least I knew the process of making it would be exciting.

The soup was a-mazing. Beyond all expectations. We gulped down every sip and licked our bowls clean.
Put any reservations aside, and make this. It's as delicious as it is healthy!

 

Asparagus Soup
-----
Yield:
2 servings (as a stand-alone dish); it will serve plenty more if using as an appetizer or side dish

Ingredients:
6 oz asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1 avocado
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Sriracha, to taste
1 tbsp gruyere cheese, for garnish

Method:
Heat oil in medium-sized skillet, and add onion and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent. Add asparagus to pan, and cook for additional 1-2 minutes. Pour vegetable broth into pan, and cover with lid. Cook until asparagus is tender (you can test the tender-ness by piercing the asparagus with a fork; when it pierces easily, it's done). Salt & pepper the mix. Once cooked, pour into Blendtec (or food processor, or use an immersion blender). Add avocado and hot sauce, if using, to Blendtec also. Press "Soup" button on Blendtec, and let the magic happen. If using a food processor or immersion blender, you'll want to continue to use them until you have a puree-like texture. Pour into bowls, and garnish with more hot sauce, if desired, and sprinkle with gruyere cheese.
-----