Loaded Potato Soup

Ingredients
Soup:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
5 Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 quart homemade or low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 ear corn cooked or 1/2 cup frozen kernels
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Toppings:
8 cherry tomatoes, diced
2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 head green leaf lettuce, shredded






Directions
This is not your traditional potato soup recipe. I've added yellow bell peppers and corn for a boost in vitamins and fiber then loaded on my favorite potato toppings tomatoes, cheese and lettuce.
This soup is loaded down--with nutrition not fat! A loaded baked potato can have 460 calories each, and potato soup has gobs of salt.

By the way, it's not a mistake that you put lettuce in this soup. The hot soup will wilt the lettuce, and you will be amazed with the taste within the dish.

Heat a saucepan to medium-low, add the oil, then add the onions once the oil warms. Sweat the onions for 3-4 minutes (to soften them; you don't want them to brown). Add the garlic, celery and bell pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the flour using a wooden spoon, and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Add the pepper, bay leaf and thyme, then slowly pour in the stock and the potatoes, stir and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the bay leaf and add the corn and cayenne pepper. Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth.
If you want a thinner soup, add more stock.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each one cup serving with 1 cherry tomato chopped, 1 teaspoon sharp cheese, and 2 tablespoons shredded lettuce.

Serving Size: Makes 8 one-cup servings.

Number of Servings: 8

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 167.9
Total Fat: 2.1 g
Cholesterol: 2.0 mg
Sodium: 49.9 mg
Total Carbs: 32.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.5 g
Protein: 4.9 g