Week 49: Grilled Cheese with Apples and Broccoli Soup

I already love grilled cheese, but adding the tartness of Granny Smith apples to the sandwich made it that much yummier! I originally had wanted to make parsnip soup to go with our sandwiches, but I had a little parsnip drama, so I found a broccoli soup recipe instead. I wanted a soup recipe that was a little lighter, and less creamy. It got its creaminess from a potato.

Year of Yum Rating: 4 1/2 STARS for the Sandwich, and 3 1/2 STARS for the soup

INGREDIENTS

Sandwich:
bread of your choice
cheddar cheese
Granny Smith apple
butter

Soup:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
4 cups fresh broccoli, including stems, chopped
2 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil on medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Gently sauté onion and celery for 3-4 minutes, until onion is softened. Add potato and chopped broccoli, followed by the broth and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Allow soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender in 2-3 batches, and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat gently until ready to serve. In the meantime, make your delicious sandwiches.