Creamy Broccoli Soup

This one's a staple in my cooking repertoire because it's quick and easy to make, healthy and delicious to eat.  It's a creamy broccoli soup that uses no cream, and instead is thickened with oats, adding to its nutritional factor. 

I usually make this when it's already too late to try to cook anything too creative for dinner...or when I'm feeling lazy, hehe. I always make a big batch so that I can have it for lunch the next day.   In fact the base of this soup recipe is so simple and foolproof that you can easily swap out the broccoli and turn it into another soup...kale? Carrots? The possibilities are endless.

For now, I stick with Broccoli, because I ♥ broccoli.  I've already talked about why here

Broccoli Soup

adapted from Clean Start

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

1 small chopped onion

2 tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves minced 

1 large bunch of chopped broccoli

3/4cp quick oats

4 cups vegetable broth

1cup rice milk (or regular milk, or any other dairy substitute)

3 tbsp miso

3tbsp water

Directions:

1) Heat some olive oil in a pot and add chopped onion.  Cook until translucent (about 3min).  Add the minced garlic and stir.  

2)  Chop broccoli including the stem, into small pieces and throw into the pot with the onions and garlic. Stir and heat through for a few minutes.

3)  Add the oats, vegetable broth, and milk to the pot. Give it a quick stir, let it come to a boil, cover and turn down to medium heat and let simmer for about 20min or until broccoli is very tender.

4)  Using a stick immersion blender, blend until everything is smooth and creamy.  (You can also just put everything in a heat resistant blender if you don't have an immersion blender).

5)  Mix the miso with the water and mix into to the soup whenever you're ready to serve. (Miso loses its nutritional value when boiled).  Salt and pepper to taste.