Will you guys forgive me if every single recipe post in the foreseeable future starts with, “In my CSA box this week…”?
I can’t help it. The contents of my little weekly box of produce joy are just giving me so much incredible inspiration! I hope you guys don’t get sick of hearing about my locavore harvest. It’s amazing what kind of inspiration pops up when you have three pounds of fresh celery in your crisper.
Necessity is the mother of invention, right? And man, was it ever necessary that I used up some of my celery.
One of the biggest struggles I had when I first made my transition to a whole food, clean diet was the massive number of recipes that use “cream of…” soups. Condensed soups like these are a great way to add a ton of easy, creamy flavor to casseroles, soups and other dishes, but healthy eating, they are not. Yes, there are organic and natural versions, but at upwards of $4 a pop (and still packed full of some yucky but “natural” ingredients), I just couldn’t justify the cost.
For a while now, I’ve been meaning to make my own “cream of…” soups and thanks to my windfall of celery, cream of celery is the first on the docket.
I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten Cream of Celery soup from the can straight-up, but I did serve myself a nice, toasty bowl of this soup and it was incredibly delicious! Definitely don’t just relegate this soup to a lifetime of use in tuna casserole recipes. Served with a nice hunk of crusty bread, this soup made a cozy, warm and incredibly healthy lunch. Perfect for a January afternoon.
Of course, if slurping back a whole bowl of purèed veggies ain’t your thang, you can easily spoon this 1 1/2 cup at a time into small freezer bags. Freeze them flat and then use one bag in place of each can of condensed soup a recipe calls for. Easy, peasy!
When it comes to healthifying this recipe, the thick and creaminess of this soup isn’t due to cream at all. I threw in a peeled potato which helps thicken the soup when purèed, and the velvety texture is thanks to low-fat Greek yogurt. I guess technically, “Cream of Celery Soup” is a misnomer. Maybe I should rename it “Yogurt of Celery Soup.” That’ll catch on, right?
Cream of Celery Soup
Freeze 1 1/2 cups of cream of celery soup per freezer bag and then use one bag in place of each can of condensed soup a recipe calls for.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1 large potato, peeled and diced
- 1 large bunch celery (about 1 lb.), stalks and leaves, chopped
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in garlic and onion and cook until fragrant and tender, about five minutes.
- Add in the potato, celery, broth and wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are all very tender and mushy.
- Remove the pot from heat and, using an immersion blender blend until very, very smooth. Or, purèe in a standard blender in two batches.
- Once smooth, whisk in the yogurt, salt and pepper and serve immediately. Top with garnishes like olive oil, sour cream or chives. Or, to freeze, transfer 1-1/2 cup at a time into freezer bags, and freeze flat. Use one bag (1-1/2 cup) to replace one can of soup in recipes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 1/2 cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 452Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 365mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 38g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
Where have you been getting your inspiration from lately?
