No-Cream Cream of Broccoli Soup

Victor and I have been trying to eat more vegetarian-y lately, with more plant-based protein and fiber. It's been a little tough for me to come around to since I'm used to having some sort of animal protein with each meal, but now that I've been finding and making these new recipes, I'm really starting to enjoy this new way of eating. An added bonus is that it's super healthy, and the scale is responding accordingly (bye bye pregnancy weight!).

My meal-planning routine has changed a bit as a result of these new eating habits. A lot of our old favorites have become "sometimes" meals, so I need to find lots of new recipes. I subscribe to Everyday with Rachael Ray and All Recipes magazines, and I love browsing through them to find new meals that fit our new dietary needs. I've found some great ones so far, one of which is this No-Cream Cream of Broccoli Soup from Rachael Ray.

Y'all, this is so good, I've made it twice in the past week, and I've had two bowls each time I made it (guilt-free). It's also pretty quick and easy to prepare. Best of all, it's healthy, packed with fiber and protein! The first time I made this, I used an immersion blender and blended it all up in the pot. NOT recommended...what a (literal) HOT mess!

No-Cream Cream of Broccoli Soup

What you'll need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup sliced leek, white part only (I used 1/2 cup chopped onion instead)
• 2.5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 head (1 lb.) broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest plus 1 tbsp juice
• 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan (or shredded cheddar)

What you'll do:

1. In a pot, heat the oil over medium-high. Cook the leek (or onion), stirring often, until tender, 2-3 minutes (less time if using onion).
2. Add the broth and beans. Bring to a simmer.
3. Add the broccoli. Cook until tender, approximately 5 minutes.
4. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender (I used the cup attachment for my immersion blender and poured blended portions into a bowl; see photos). 
5. Return soup to pot when finished. Add the lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper. Then heat over medium-high until warm, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Divide among bowls, top with cheese and black pepper.

I'm not kidding you guys. This is so good. I'm probably going to make it every week until I get sick of it. The pureed beans make this creamy, but without the guilt.

The first time I made this, I paired it with baked salmon. This time, I made this Perfect Ten Baked Cod from All Recipes. I've never made cod before, but this was pretty good!

Let me know if you try this!