CELERY SOUP WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE TOPPING
Posted by Carole-Anne on November 29, 2007
There is nothing like a warm, steamy, creamy soup in the wintertime. Being such a soup lover, I must include celery to my Healthy Recipes site. Celery is low in calories and high in fiber content. It is also a good source of potassium and it has been known to reduce inflammation and protect against cancer. Traditionally, herbalists have suggested that fresh celery and celery seed tea will help gout and other inflammatory arthritis, as well as high blood pressure and edema. Celery contains compounds that are said to reduce the production of certain prostaglandins (www.wikipedia.com) which are chemicals in the body that are instrumental in producing inflammation. There is no proof of these suggestions, but celery makes a great soup, and the leaves of celery plant are actually the most nutritious. The celery plant is actually high in nitrates, but once cooked, braised or steamed, the nitrates are considerably reduced. Now onto the reason we are here! Creamy Celery Soup!INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 chopped Spanish onion
5 sticks of celery with leaves on, and sliced
3 potatoes peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp Sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated light cheddar cheese
NOW FOLLOW ME:
Heat extra-virgin olive oil in Dutch Oven or slow cooker. I prefer Slow Cooker, as soup can warm in the Slow Cooker if there is any left over. Add onion and cook for until tender.
Add celery, cooking for another 5 minutes. Add potatoes, stock, thyme, sea salt and pepper. Bring to boil, cover and cook for approximately 30 minutes.
Pour soup in Blender and puree - you may wish to season with sea salt and pepper at that time as well.
Pour soup back into Crockery Slow Cooker and leave on simmer.
When ready to serve, fill your elegant soup bowl with your delightful creamy pureed soup and add light cheddar cheese that has been grated previously.
Delightful Healthy Recipe - only 15 minutes preparation time, and approximately 45 minutes to cook. It is low in calories - approximately 135 calories per bowl!
Enjoy! This recipe may be very tasty with baking powder biscuits which may be viewed in Healthy Recipes under Biscuits, Bread and Muffins.
Recipe serves 6 - 8 people.
