Too-Good-to-Be-True Baked Potato Soup
Serves 5

This soup is one of my most popular recipes on Skinnytaste. It offers everything you love about a baked potato in soup form! In fact, a fan once described it as a “warm bowl of awesomeness.” You can totally enjoy it without the guilt because it’s soooo much lighter than a baked potato. That’s because I hide some cauliflower in there, which gives the great taste and texture for fewer calories.

2 medium russet (baking) potatoes, about 6 ounces each
3-1/2 cups (16 ounces) cauliflower florets (from one small head)
1-1/2 cups Swanson 33% less sodium chicken broth*
1-1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup light sour cream
6 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
10 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
3 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

*Read the label to be sure this product is gluten-free.

Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Turn them over and microwave until tender, 3 to 5 minutes longer. (Alternatively, bake at 400°F for 1 hour or until tender.) Let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and coarsely chop the potatoes.

Set a steamer basket in a large pot and fill with about 1 inch of water Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower, cover, and steam until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain, remove the steamer basket, and return the cauliflower to the pot.

Set the pot over medium heat and add the broth, milk, and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Add the sour cream, 3 tablespoons of the chives, and season with the salt and black pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat. Ladle the soup into 5 soup bowls. Top each with 2 tablespoons of cheese, and divide the remaining chives and the bacon among them. Serve hot.

Nutrition Information:
Per Serving: 1 generous cup
Calories: 200
Fat 7 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 17 mg
Carbohydrate: 23 g
Fiber: 3.5 g
Protein: 14 g
Sugars 6 g
Sodium 323 mg

Food Facts another cruciferous standout
Cruciferous vegetables are one of the most potent disease-fighting groups of foods out there. You’ve likely heard all about broccoli’s benefits, but cauliflower offers some health perks, too. The veggie contains glucosinolates, compounds that may have anticancer properties, according to some studies.