creamy potato zucchini soup

We are always looking for new ways to be creative with zucchini, so when this suggested post was spotted in our Facebook stream, our attention was immediately snagged and we printed it out for rapid application. And followed through quickly. And we liked it. And it passed the mother-in-law test.

This starts with the magic base of onion, celery and garlic that gives off an aroma in the kitchen promising a happy ending, like with our favorite creation, cream of chestnut soup, minus the garlic there. bob would have preferred low fat milk as the finisher liquid given his inherited cardiovascular disease, but hey, what's a little fat once in a while? Not downing those desserts anymore on a regular basis. Exercising regularly again after the pandemic interruption. Maybe it will turn out okay.

ingredients

1 T clarified butter or ghee, coconut oil, avocado oil, or olive oil

2 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 stalks crisp celery, sliced

2 medium zucchini, chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

4 c low sodium chicken broth, or broth/stock of choice [choose veggie!]
     [ani added 1 c half and half after the pureeing step]

optional garnish/addins:

2-4 strips of nitrate-free bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional!)
   [chopped green onions are better]

1 cup plain Greek yogurt, unsweetened coconut milk, OR grass-fed cream OR half and half

1/4 cup shredded parmigiano, to garnish

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

instructions

1. Prep the veggies.
2. Start the boiling water for the broth if you use broth cubes.
3. Melt the butter/ghee in a medium pot over medium-high heat.
4. Add the garlic, onions, and celery, then sauté for 3-4 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
5. Add the zucchini, potatoes, broth and bring to a boil.
6. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer.
7. Cook for 20 minutes or until the veggies are fork tender.
8. Taste and season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
9. Using an emersion blender, blend until smooth and creamy, then stir in the plain Greek yogurt or other white liquid.
10. Serve hot, garnished with crumbled bacon (?) and parmesan shavings sprinkled on top if you like! We used a couple of chopped green onions and vegetable peeler shaved parmigiano, and freshly ground pepper at the table.

notes

1. Creamy potato soup recipe from cleanfoodcrush.com.
2. Since we mentioned it, here is the cream of chestnut soup.
3. Note for vegans: you can easily figure out how to avoid animal products here.
4. Illustrations available.