With the special diets in my house, it can be hard to find things everyone will eat. This week I tried a great broccoli cheese soup with very little milk in it, so my lactose intolerant teenager could actually eat it! I was so excited!
Many of these dishes are fast and easy, or can be made ahead, which has been a real lifesaver for me the past week. I hope they are for you, too!
| MONDAY |
Food Revolution Friday is rolling along in our house, and this chicken made fans of all three of us.
It’s so fast, so easy, and so delicious you’ll wonder why you’ve never made it before. It’s also really yummy cold at lunch!
I would try it in the summer with some potato salad, too.
Jamie Oliver’s Crunchy Garlic Chicken
Mashed Garlic Potatoes
Green salad
| TUESDAY |
Stir-fries are always fast and delicious. I took advantage of some broccoli hanging around in the fridge to whip this up for Jake and me when my non-beef eating Hubs was working one evening.
Rice
| WEDNESDAY |
One night I threw this together, not really sure how it would turn out — and the results were delicious. The trick, I think, is to make the meatballs tiny so you feel like you are getting more! If you freeze this dish, freeze the meatballs and sauce separately and then cook the pasta fresh when you want to eat it.
Salad
| THURSDAY |
The weather is getting warm! I was never much of a burger fan, but these changed my mind.
Juicy and spiced up just mildly, then topped with avocado, cheese, and tomato, they are delicious.
We make a bunch and then freeze the raw patties on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet, ready to pop into a bag for another day.
Veggies and Dip
| FRIDAY |
Jake has always loved broccoli cheese soup, but many are very heavy with a cream or milk base. Not this one!
I was surprised to find that instead of milk, this one has Yukon gold potatoes to make it creamy.
There’s tons of flavor in this soup and it’s a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies! Try serving it with bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
1 cup chopped onions
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 cups broccoli florets
1 cup peeled, cubed Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
3/4 cup aged cheddar, shredded
1/2 tsp each ground thyme, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
4 dashes hot pepper sauce (or more, if you like)
Saute the onions, garlic, and celery in a bit of oil in a large soup pot until they are soft. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, and 2 cups of the broccoli. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until the veggies are soft.
Steam the remaining cup of broccoli in your microwave until crisp-tender and drain.
Using an immersion blender, blender or food processor, blend the soup until it is coarsely pureed. Pour it back into the pot. Stir in the sour cream, cheese, remaining broccoli, thyme, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and hot pepper sauce.
Stir and continue to heat through. Don’t let it boil, or the sour cream might curdle. This soup also doesn’t freeze well but keeps in the fridge for a few days and makes really great leftovers.
Makes 4-6 servings.