velvety potato soup

First things first, thank you all so much for your kind feedback on the new site design. I’m so glad you guys are liking it! And I’m super glad to hear that you guys reading on iPads, iPods and iPhones are able to read on those devices again. Thank you so much for being patient with me while I figured out that issue and for sticking around while I’ve been M.I.A. getting the redesign launched. You guys are the best.

In honor of the new design, I have one of my all-time favorite comfort foods to share with you this afternoon—potato soup. I just knew I had to post a recipe on redesign launch day, because the new design really shines on recipe posts! And it seemed quite fitting to welcome a new era of my blog with something that is what I think I do best—a classic recipe from my childhood turned healthy.

Growing up, potato soup was one of the meals that was on a weekly rotation in our house during the cooler seasons. It was filling, it was warm, it was delicious and, really, it was a crazy cheap way to feed a family. When’s the last time you looked at the price of a bag of potatoes? Last weekend, I snagged a 10 pound bag for about $3. For someone who’s on a tight grocery budget, potatoes are a great way to help fill out a menu and add some cheap, nutritious calories.

I know the white potato’s reputation has taken a hit over the past few years. Too starchy. Too high of a glycemic index. Too many carbs. Too few nutrients. But, honestly, I truly believe that, when prepared correctly and eaten in moderation, white potatoes can be a part of any healthy diet.

Each medium potato has a ton of fiber and almost 30% of your daily intake of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Potassium. In fact, a potato has more Potassium than a banana does! To me, potatoes are one of the gifts from the earth and should be enjoyed happily.

My go-to potato soup recipe is one I snagged from a friend years and years ago and then tweaked to my liking. It’s pretty much the most amazing soup you’ll ever taste. But it’s also not moderate. It’s got half a pound of bacon, a full cup of heavy cream, a bunch of cheese, plus some cream cheese and at least a stick of butter. It’s one of those soups that I make once or twice a year, enjoy the heck out of it, and then stash the recipe until the next winter.

I decided I wanted to try my hand at a more everyday version of my favorite potato soup. By using smaller amounts of the flavorful stuff (bacon and butter, mostly), upping the aromatic veggies and herbs, and thickening the soup with some Greek yogurt, I was able to keep the velvety texture and a ton of flavor.  

I’m not quite ready to throw away my decadent potato soup recipe quite yet, but this one is going to be a great everyday substitute for when I’m feeling the craving for some potato soup, but want to keep it a bit more nutritious.

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Velvety Potato Soup

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

I'm not quite ready to throw away my decadent potato soup recipe yet, but this one is going to be a great everyday substitute for when I'm feeling the craving for some potato soup, but am not wanting to eat a bowlful of 800 calories.

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Ingredients

• 2 slices of bacon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 3 pounds of potatoes, peeled and diced (about 6 medium)
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• Cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, etc. for topping

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven or soup pot, over medium heat, cook the bacon—flipping frequently—until brown and cooked through. Remove from pan, crumble and set aside.
2. Add butter to the bacon grease in the pot, when melted, add in the red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Then add the onions and celery. Cook until all veggies are tender, about 7 minutes.
3. Add in potatoes, stock, milk, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are very, very tender.
4. Remove soup from heat and either using an immersion blender, or blending in batches in a standard blender, puree until very, very smooth. If you prefer a chunkier potato soup, you can also use a potato masher to only mash up a few potatoes, or only puree half of the mixture.
5. Once the soup is pureed, stir in the Greek yogurt until well incorporated. Spoon into bowls and top with reserved bacon crumbles plus other desired toppings.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 474Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 335mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 35g

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.