Creamy Chilled Vegetable Soup

It has been HOT in Sacramento! I'm used to summer weather in the 80s, maximum (since I've always been in either a mountain town or Colorado, which both had snowstorms in May). About a week ago we had our first 105 degree day and I thought I might die. Or sweat enough that my body would shrivel up. 

Thankfully, my mini garden is doing really well despite all the heat. The Roma tomatoes are starting to sprout little buds which makes me so excited, and all of them are growing quite well. I've been fertilizing them because two days ago they looked a tad droopy, and they perked right up. I'm sure I'll have photos of them and the first tomato/pepper/whatever, because I am obsessive and seriously have proud parent syndrome. Normal people post photos of their kids on Facebook; I post photos of my vegetables. To each her own.

Speaking of vegetables, I have this awesome soup for you today. Since it has been so hot, I've been craving chilled everything (ask my poor barista, who has been making my iced coffee for a few weeks straight now. I must be so boring). This soup is a mixture of tender broccoli, meaty mushrooms, and the pop of onion all blended together with some creamy white beans and tangy Greek yogurt. Basically, it's the bomb. Super refreshing and packed with vitamins: Iron, Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium-- the list goes on! I even snuck in some spinach, because I love my leafy greens (I had this awesome Kale salad with a friend the other day, but you'll see that mentioned in a different post soon!). 

Creamy Chilled Vegetable Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1c. chopped yellow onion
• 2 large stalks celery, diced (about 1c.)
• 1c. sliced white button mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2tsp)
• 4c. no salt added vegetable broth
• 2 pounds uncooked broccoli crowns, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 (15oz) can reduced sodium white beans
• 1tsp cumin
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/2tsp pepper
• 3c. baby spinach leaves
• 1c. nonfat plain greek yogurt
• Garnishes: 6tbl light sour cream
                    6tbl reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat a large pot with olive oil over medium heat. Add in celery, onion, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add in garlic; cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add broth, broccoli, beans, salt, pepper, and cumin to the pot. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes covered. Add spinach, and remove from heat. 
3. Allow to cool, and then blend with either an immersion blender or a normal blender (in batches) until creamy and smooth. Refrigerate, covered, for at least four hours and as long as a few days.
4. Before serving, stir in Greek yogurt until well-blended. Ladle approximately 1 and 2/3 cups of soup into each of four bowls. Top each serving with 1tbl sour cream and 1tbl cheddar.

Nutrition Information:
Sodium: 550mg
Total Fat: 4g
         Saturated: 2g
         Trans: 0g
Sugar: 8g
Protein: 17g
Calories: 231