Healthy broccoli soup

A quick and tasty recipe for healthy broccoli soup.

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Difficulty rating: Easy

Age recommendation: See broccoli puree – Leave out the seasoning and don’t add water at the blending stage and this soup becomes a puree, perfect for six month old babies starting solids.

Ingredients

Servings: 6

• 1kg broccoli florets
• Boiling water
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• Grated cheese (optional) – around 30g serve per person

Method

1. Boil a large pan of water with the lid on (the water will need to fully cover all broccoli). Add 1 tsp of salt to the water.
2. Wash and cut the broccoli into large florets. (Include some stalk on the florets, it doesn’t need to be just the florets.)
3. Once water is boiling, put broccoli in. Add another teaspoon of salt on top of broccoli and cover the pan with the lid.
4. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes. Depending on the size of your florets, it may take less time – do not overcook. They should be greener and tender so a knife slices through.
5. Fish out the broccoli with a ladle or bbq tongs and put in a blender.
6. Add enough water (that the broccoli was boiling in) so that it is about half as high as the broccoli is in the blender. (Add less and it will be thicker, add more and it will be thinner).
7. Blend and season to taste.
8. Serve in a bowl.
9. Serve with grated cheese if you desire.

Tips

• For low fat croutons, try chopping some ‘French toast’ biscuits (in the crackers aisle at the supermarket).
• Adults may prefer a more robust cheese such as a blue cheese or goat cheese served with some walnuts.
• If you are making this soup for someone who is vegan or lacto-vegetarian use soy milk cheese.

Nutritional content

Nutritional analysis per 100 gram serve:

References

1. AusNut. Nutrient Database. 2007. (cited 01 July 2013). Available from: URL Link
2. Queensland Health. Introduction to Solids. 2008. (cited 1 July 2013). Available from: URL Link