Friday, January 16, 2009

Friday's Fave Foods***Healthy French Onion Soup


Delicious French Onion Soup does not have to be fattening. Here is a slimmed down version that I love! The homemade crouton in this recipe is so-o-o-o good!

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

*2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

*2 cups of red onion, finely sliced

*1&1/4 cups of sweet yellow onion, finely sliced

*2 TBSP unfiltered, fresh apple cider

*1 TBSP of flour

*8 cups of low sodium chicken broth

* 1 tsp vanilla extract

*1 tsp honey


Heat a large pot over medium-high hear for 1 minute. Add oil and heat for another minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onions, saute, stirring occasionally with lid half-covering pot, about 10 minutes. Onions will slowly caramelize.


Add apple cider and stir to deglaze. Add flour and stir to thicken. Add broth, vanilla and honey. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a simmer, about 10 minutes. Reduce hear to low or turn off until ready to serve,


Croutons


INGREDIENTS


*1 loaf of multigrain French bread, sliced very thinly into a minimum of 24 slices

* 12 oz fresh chevre, or grated low-fat Swiss cheese.


Preheat broiler to high.


Lay bread slices on cookie sheet and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly toasted.


TO SERVE


*Preheat broiler to high. Ladle 3/4 cup warm soup into ovenproof ceramic bowls or soup tureens.

*Spread chevre onto the 24 croutons, each crouton receiving about .5 oz of cheese. If using grated cheese, place .5 oz cheese on crouton.

*Place 2 croutons into each soup bowl.

*Place soup bowl under broiler. Broil for 5 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Remove and serve immediately.


Calories per 1 cup of soup and 2 croutons: 220


Nutrients: Onions=vitamin C Onions= quercetin, a flavonoid which studies have shown helps eliminate free radicals in the body.

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