Broccoli White Bean Soup

Did you know that April is National Grilled Cheese Month? I didn't, until Craig came home yesterday with some ingredients and declared his intention to make some grilled cheese. His creation, turkey breast with munster, pepper jack and barbecue sauce was AMAZING. So amazing, in fact, that we gobbled them up without even thinking of taking photos.

It's cold and raining here in Boston. After taking Archer to the dog park where he got absolutely filthy in the mud I decided I really felt like soup. After the grilled cheese extravaganza the night before, I wanted to create a soup that would go really well with grilled cheese or any other yummy sandwich. One of my favorite lunch soups is broccoli cheddar. The version at Panera Bread is phenomenal. However, it's loaded with calories and butter, cream and cheese. In thinking about how to create a healthy broccoli soup I had a brainwave: beans. Cannellini beans have a smooth and creamy texture and I thought they would be the perfect way to make a healthy, low calorie soup that is still creamy and hearty.

I used a food processor to shred garlic, onions and broccoli. You could certainly puree these, but I wanted the soup to have some small chunks for texture. I used some fresh rosemary for seasoning and topped the bowl off with a light sprinkle of tangy parmesan.

This soup was so good. It tastes comforting and creamy and, due to the protein and fiber in the beans, it is extremely filling. The best part is that it's very low in calories and takes only 20 minutes to make! Please make this soup on a cold day. It feels good and it great for you. I was especially thrilled when I calculated the nutrition info and compared it to the Panera version. A cup of my soup was extremely low in fat and sodium while being less than half the calories of the Panera version! Luckily, this recipe made about 6 12oz servings, so there is plenty for me to bring for lunch!

Here's the comparison:

My soup:
125 calories
2.9g fat
312.76mg sodium

Panera soup:
300 calories
19g fat
1250mg sodium

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Roasted Broccolini with Pistachios

Broccolini, or baby broccoli, is similar to traditional broccoli, but with smaller florets and longer, thinner stalks. It is actually a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. Unlike broccoli, it retains its flavor and crunch when cooked at high heat. I decided to roast the broccolini with some pistachios for a simple side dish. When roasted, it gets a sweet, caramelized flavor and a fantastic crunchy texture. Topped with some garlic and parmesan, it is simple, healthy and not boring. I particularly like roasting it because I can just throw it in the oven and forget about it while prepping the rest of the meal.

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Garlic Ginger Broccoli

So in my quest to make broccoli exciting, I decided to concoct an Asian-inspired version that uses my current obsession: fresh ginger. This recipe is healthy, simple and takes 5-10 minutes to make. I has a lot of flavor with minimal calories and is a convenient side dish to whip up on a busy night.

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Tasty Roasted Broccoli

I rarely feature broccoli on the blog, because, well... it's broccoli. Boring. Filled with vitamins, but sort of boring. So I decided to jazz it up a bit. Roasting brings out the natural flavor and sweetness. Tossed with tangy lemon and crunch walnuts, it is far from boring. Walnuts add healthy omega-3's B vitamins, and protein. Also, recent research suggests eating walnuts can help improve memory and cognitive function.

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Quinoa with Broccoli and Artichoke Hearts

This tasty recipe takes minutes to whip up and can be a side dish or a main course. Artichokes are loaded with fiber, Vitamin C, potassium, folic acid and magnesium. They add a great deal of flavor to this filling, antioxidant-packed dish.

Full recipe and photos after the jump.
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