Sounds good! Good idea for the artichokes. Of course it couldn't be canned but it sounds like it should freeze well.

Dave

Nancy, I've let my subscription expire but I've tried many reliably really tasty and agreeable recipes in Cooking Light, I have several favorites filed from the magazine. I've never found a lot of unappealing 'faux food' type things there that emphasize only health while sacrificing taste and enjoyment. Now I'm wondering why I don't have an active subscription, may have to think about that again ;)

Thanks for posting the soup, and I agree it looks like a freezable 'keeper'...

The cheese puzzles me. I'm surprised it is considered low fat and how does 'cook til tender' apply to cheese?

It was a tough cheese ?

Floral, I'm not sure how many that recipe serves, but the fat from 5 oz cheese divided wouldn't be that much per person compared to preparing a cream based soup. That's what makes the recipes in that magazine work, they don't pretend to be NO fat, NO calories, just lower - and mostly healthier options. Portion control would still be expected. When they offer a recipe for a lemon bar that is a better alternative to most traditional recipes, they haven't taken all the sugar and butter out, they've left in enough to make it satisfying, an enjoyable treat. No where do they suggest someone have a half dozen lemon bars with morning coffee ;)

http://www.cookinglight.com/

OK, I see the thinking. I suppose 'reduced fat' depends on where your starting point is. I don't use cream in soups anyway, so adding cheese would actually make it higher fat. I just thicken by blending rather than using a roux or cream.

I'm also puzzled by the method and the reference to the 'rice mixture'. There's no mention of cooking the onion and garlic other than in the 5 minutes boiling time. Is that the case? Then after it has all been added together, there's the reference to 'the rice mixture' as if it were separate. Also why is the stock 'divided' since it all seems to get put in together before the 5 minutes simmer.

I don't mean to nit pick but the idea of thickening a soup with rice looks like a useful trick and I'd like to understand how it works in this recipe. I have tried to follow the method and I can't make sense of it. Has a step been missed out?

I feel like I'm stealing NancyJane's thunder here but I don't know where she's gone ;) Googling the ingredients leads one to the full recipe instructions and the prep reads as follows :

Preparation

1. Combine 2 cups stock and rice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Place rice mixture and milk in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth.

2. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add broccoli and salt; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining 2 cups stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or just until broccoli is tender. Add rice mixture; simmer 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Place 2 cups soup in blender; process until smooth. Return pureed soup to pan. Add pepper and 4 ounces cheese; stir until cheese melts. Divide soup evenly among 6 bowls; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 ounce cheese.

Aha - now it makes sense. There's a method as well as a list of ingredients. Thanks morz8 for doing the sleuthing.

morz8, no prob. I didn't think that it was that unclear. I rarely cook from absolute recipes anyway, just get ideas and experiment.

Anyway, the compaisons Cooking Light Brow Rice Cream 107 cal, 1.3gr fat 0.5gr sat fat (even less with fat free which is what I use. And I use low fat cheese so even lower)

VS

Heavy Whipping Cream 828 cal, 89 gr fat, 55gr sat fat per cup

So now I CAN enjoy a nice creamy soup! Nancy

I very rarely use recipes either, nancyjane, and never for soup. I was just interested in the use of the rice as a thickener and couldn't see how it was incorporated. I'm afraid you did actually omit almost all the method and I was just curious as to how this recipe worked. morz8 supplied the missing info. Thanks to you both.

Well if I post in the future I will include all the instructions. Nancy

Nancyjane, I just got that issue a few days ago too, and I agree, it sounds like a very good method, although I haven't tried it yet. I like Cooking Light, nad have a subscription, as I find many recipes are simple, honest and real and don't take a lot of weird ingredients.

Annie

I've made cream of mushroom,chicken asparagus, broccoli clam chowder from this method and all were great!

I even turned my Kaiser nutritionist on to this and she was thrilled!