Happy April Fools Day!  I hope you get lots of love and not so many tricks today 🙂

Spring is that crazy time of year when the weather can flip from a warm sunny days a to cold and wintery one without a moments notice!

At least in my neck of the woods 🙂

Soooo, there’s no better way than a little Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup (copycat)

to help stay warm and cozy even on those chilly days!

 

I try to make the majority of my recipes as healthy as possible so I skinnied them down without losing any of the flavor… now that’s a win-win in my book 🙂

 

Yield: 6

Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup (copycat)

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Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/4 C butter
• 1/4 C flour
• 2 C fat-free half-and-half cream
• 2 C chicken stock
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli
• 1 C carrot, julienned
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 8 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Sauté onion in butter
2. Set aside
3. Melt butter in sauce pan over medium high heat, add flour using a whisk for 3-5 minutes
4. Stir constantly and add the fat-free half & half
5. Add the chicken stock
6. Simmer for 20 minutes
7. Add the broccoli, carrots and onions
8. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes
9. Add salt and pepper
10. Puréed in a blender
11. Return to heat and add cheese
12. Stir in nutmeg

* I got this recipe from my BFF, Carol Ray 🙂 Thanks girl!

I hope you enjoy this Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup (copycat) as much as we do- it’s delicious.

 

Hope you have a super awesome Tuesday!

xoxo~ Ruthie

 

PS- I shared this recipe over at Or so she says too.