Broccoli & Cheese Soup

              Normally at this time of the year I'm looking for salads and barbeque dishes to post. But with a high of 10 degrees and rain all day, I decided to make soup for dinner. This broccoli & cheese soup recipe is creamy and rich but doesn't have any of the normal high fat & calorie ingredients. I adapted it from Weight Watchers, which is quickly becoming my go-to for a dependable healthy recipe source. Serve with fresh bread or salad to make a complete meal.

Ingredients:
1 tsp oil
1/2 cup onions, diced fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large head fresh broccoli, chopped
32 oz (4 cups) chicken broth - I used Epicure's chicken base which is salt-free
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
5 oz (about 1/3 cup) MacLaren's Imperial Carefully Aged cold pack cheddar
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup cornstarch
medium cheddar cheese, light,  shredded


Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add broccoli and chicken broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
2. Reduce heat to low, add cheese, salt and pepper and stir until cheese melts.
3. Stir in milk and cook about two minutes until well-blended.
4. Whisk together water and cornstarch, add mixture and simmer 2-4 minutes, until thick.
5. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle 2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese on top. Serve immediately.


Yield: 1 1/2 cups per serving, 4 servings.


Nutritional information: 5 weight watchers points, about 250 calories per 1 1/2 cup serving.