For many that are close to me they know that this creamy soup is one of my favorites. Lately, I haven’t been able to find a good one and all my favorite sandwich/soup places I have burned myself out on their recipes. Last Wednesday I decided to make this for dinner and can I tell you that it was probably the best soup I have made in a while. It took around 45 minutes, but well worth the wait.

• 1/2 pound broccoli florets, chopped
• 2 cups half & half
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
• 2 TB. flour
• 1/2 stick butter
• 8 oz. Sharp Cheddar

1. In a medium to large pot melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in chopped onion and saute until translucent. Add in flour and keep stirring until flour is dark blonde in color (this is crucial, if the flour doesn’t cook then you will have a bland base for the soup).
2. Once the roux has reached golden brown, add in milk and broth. Bring to a boil, this may take up to 20 minutes.
3. Add in broccoli and carrots. Cook for another 15-20 minutes. Once the vegetables are soft and have broken a part add in cheddar cheese.
4. Pour into bowls and enjoy with a crusty piece of bread.

**If you like a thicker soup you can mix 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and add in before you add the cheese. This is what I did to thicken the soup.

Overall, this soup met my craving! Yummy!!

Tonight I made Ellie Krieger’s Hummus and Grilled Veggie Wrap. This isn’t typically something I would make but it is right up Jim’s (and my bf Jen’s) alley. During week five (when I found out the good news) and the few weeks following I craved spinach. It’s one of those veggies that I like, but I only eat if it accompanies something else. When I was putting together this week’s recipes I decided to give this one a whirl and I am so happy that I did because it was amazing! The recipe calls for a whole wheat wrap, which I misread and purchased pita’s; when I make this again I will purchase wraps. I also whisked together a quick lemon-herb dressing to toss the spinach in, messy but so worth it!

The recipe:

• 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup store-bought hummus
• 4 pieces whole-wheat wrap bread (about 9 inches in diameter)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 Jarred roasted red bell peppers, cut in half
• 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed)
• 1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced into half moons
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1. Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium heat. Brush both sides of the zucchini slices with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Grill until tender and slightly browned, about 4 minutes per side.
2. Spread 1/4 cup of the hummus over each piece of bread. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of pine nuts on top. Top with 3 slices of zucchini, 2 pieces of red pepper, 1/2 cup of the spinach, a few sliced onions, and 1 tablespoon of the mint. Roll each of them up and cut in half on a diagonal.

Per Serving: Calories 320; Total Fat 15g

Lemon-Herb Dressing

1. In a small bowl mix together the juice of one lemon, one teaspoon of oregano, a pinch of salt and pepper and slowly drizzle in one tablespoon of Olive oil.
2. Toss spinach with dressing.

Baby ‘A’ gives this two thumbs up!