Vegetable Chowder

Yesterday I sampled a new recipe and then made it for dinner because it was YUMMY. It's called Vegetable Chowder. It's delicious and a lot like soup you would get in a restaurant. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped

1/2 cup carrots, diced

1/2 cup broccoli, chopped

3 cups vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups low fat milk

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

In a pot, saute the pepper and onions in olive oil until tender. Add remaining vegetables, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. In a small bowl or cup, combine flour and milk and mix with a whisk until smooth; stir slowly into soup. Bring soup to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes to allow to thicken. Just before serving, mix in the parsley and cheese until melted. Serve with whole wheat toast. Serves 6

I actually used Colby jack cheese instead of sharp cheddar because that's what I had but I would recommend using sharp cheddar if you have any, it will leave the soup with more flavor. Because I was missing a few other ingredients I used dried parsley instead of fresh, a cup of potatoes instead of a half a cup of celery and a half a cup of cauliflower. Here's how it turned out!

On a different note, my herbs are growing!!