Herbed Zucchini Soup

From EatingWell: August/September 2005, EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook — Subscribe Now!

This is one of the few soups that make the cut in summer. Serve it chilled to take the edge off a hot August night.

4 servings, 1 1/4 cups each

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, (about 3 medium), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, or dill or 1 teaspoon dried
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, (3 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Place broth, zucchini and tarragon (or dill) in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the zucchini is tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Puree in a blender (see Tip), in batches if necessary, until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and heat over medium-high, slowly stirring in cheese until it is incorporated. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or chilled.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve chilled or reheat.

Hot liquids can splatter out of a blender when it's turned on. To avoid this, remove the center piece of the lid. Loosely cover the hole with a folded kitchen towel and turn the blender on. Better airflow will keep the contents from spewing all over the kitchen.

Nutrition

Per serving: 115 calories; 5 g fat (3 g sat, 0 g mono); 19 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 10 g protein; 2 g fiber; 448 mg sodium; 452 mg potassium.

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat