Cream of Asparagus and potato soup

Use pureed vegetables, chicken stock and fat free half and half, this pattern is flavorful and low fat. White pepper and mustard give the soup spice. 

Vegetable soup can be simple and nutritious diet. Creamy soups are renowned for their smoothness and flavor. Soup made of pureed vegetables combines the best of both worlds, where the soup is both enriched and thickened with cooked vegetables. 

Asparagus and potatoes team up in this recipe to make a creamy soup with a little fat. Celery, onion and thyme are added with chopped asparagus, potatoes and defatted chicken stock. Vegetables are simmered together until tender then pureed. Fat free half and half added at the end to enrich and facilitate the puree mixture. 

This soup makes about 6 servings.

Cream of Asparagus and potato soup

Ingredients: 

    * 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed (see recipe below) 

    * 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (about 1 rounded cup) 

    * 1 / 3 cup chopped yellow onion 

    * 1 / 4 cup chopped celery 

    * 3 cups of well seasoned defatted chicken stock 

    * 1 / 4 teaspoon dried thyme 

    * 1 / 4 teaspoon dry mustard 

    * 1 / 8 tsp white pepper (use a dash for less spice) 

    * 1 / 2 cup fat-free half and half 

    * Salt and nutmeg, if desired, for seasoning 

Procedure:

   1st Then wash trim asparagus by first cutting tips for a 1 1 / 2 inches in length. Reserve for later use. Cut the snap off the woody parts of the asparagus and discard. Cut the remaining asparagus into approximately 1 cm pieces. Pour into a small soup pot. 

   2nd Add the diced potato, chopped onion and celery,. 

   3rd Cover with the defatted chicken stock and stir the dried thyme, dry mustard and white pepper. 

   4th Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. 

   5th While soup is cooking, steam the asparagus tips until cooked to desired tenderness. Alternatively, place in a microwave dish with a few tablespoons water and microwave until the tips are cooked until desired tenderness, about 3-7 minutes on high, depending on microwave power. Drain off any water or remove tips from the steam. Reserve for later. 

   6th Puree soup when vegetables are tender in a blender. Do this in three batches, venting at the top so steam can escape, and puree until the soup is very smooth. Pour into a fine-meshed strainer into a separate saucepan. 

   7th Pipes in the fat-free half and half. Adjust seasonings, if desired with salt and nutmeg to taste. 

   8th Server soup into bowls. The tips can be used to top of soup for garnish when served, or stirred into the soup just before serving.