I'll call this one "A Lotta Broccolocoli Soup"

The other night, I used my fresh chicken broth to make broccoli soup. I've made this soup before but usually with flour, butter, and cream. This time, I used potatoes to make the soup creamy. It turned out extra green and very tasty. I topped it with a few shredded strips of chicken. There are a ton of varieties to this, but here's the way my husband I like it:

About 1-2 servings:
1 red potato (chopped up small so it cooks quicker)
4 cups of fresh broccoli (I'm sure you can use frozen)
2 cups of broth (chicken, vegetable, etc.)
1 tbsp chopped onion
1 clove garlic*
1 tsp olive oil

Heat up the oil and soften the onion and garlic (medium heat). Lightly brown potatoes, add broth, turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then turn it down a bit (medium-low should be good), add broccoli. Cook for about five minutes (the less cooking, the better!).

Take the soup off the heat and either use a hand held electric blender or pour into a large blender and blend until desired consistency (I like a few veggie chunks). Since I like fresh, not overcooked, soggy broccoli, it takes a little extra work with the handheld blender to work through the not-so-cooked broccoli, but I think it's worth it!

If you want it more creamy, add more potatoes! Season to taste. I like a sprinkle of white pepper, red pepper, fresh ground black pepper, whole fennel, and garnish with a few strips of chicken (if you want to) and a pinch of nutmeg (I was a bit apprehensive about the nutmeg but so glad I did it).

I had chopped carrots, so I just sprinkled some on top in this picture. That's about it. Enjoy!
*Garlic is great for decreasing total cholesterol and triglyceride levels (the bad stuff that, if not controlled, may cause heart and vascular problems) while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (the good stuff). It also has a positive effect on blood pressure and platelet aggregation (clotting), helping to prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of your arteries - especially in your heart). It has also shown positive effects in decreasing risks for gastrointestinal cancer, stroke, myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), treating colds, coughs, fevers, and sore throats. Becareful, though, if you're pregnant! Talk to your doctor first :)