Oo-la-la! French Onion Soup
Unfortunately, I have a bad sore throat going on. And what do I enjoy when my throat is feeling funky? Tea, ice cream, throat drops and soup. For dinner tonight, I resisted the urge to eat ice cream as my meal and tried making a recipe for French onion soup that I found in Fitness magazine. I’m so glad that I did because this soup came out so yummy! Here are the ways this recipe is healthier for you than what you’ll find at most restaurants:
– The traditional cheese used is Gruyere; use Swiss or Provolone instead to reduce fat
– Calls for wheat bread instead of the typical white bread
– Uses a lot less butter than usual French onion soup recipes
French Onion Soup
Makes 2 servings.
1 TSP butter (Used Land O’ Lakes light butter with canola oil)
1 1/2- 2 large onions, thinly sliced (I think 1 1/2 was plenty but if you like it more onion-y, use 2)
2 TBSPs of sherry or white wine
1 TSP dried thyme
1/2 TSP black pepper
1/4 TSP salt
1 quart beef or vegetable stock (Swanson vegetable broth)
2 slices whole-wheat baguette, toasted (2 oz of Trader Joe’s Organic Petite Pan Pascal whole wheat bread for each)
4 slices Provolone or Swiss cheese (Sargento Provolone cheese deli style thin sliced)
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter, heating until it foams, and then add onions.
Reduce heat to medium. Once onions are light brown, deglaze the pan: Add water and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the
pan with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking onions. When the bottom of the pan starts to turn brown again, deglaze a second time with sherry or white wine. Cook until onions turn a dark golden color, about 20 minutes.
Add thyme, pepper, and salt, then slowly pour in stock and simmer 15 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Ladle soup into 2 ovenproof bowls and top each with 2 slices of cheese and a slice of toasted bread. Put bowls on a baking sheet, place under broiler, leaving the door slightly ajar. Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2 minutes.
If you’re like me and don’t own ovenproof soup bowls (I knew I missed something on my wedding registry?!), just throw each bowl of soup in the microwave to melt the cheese, between 30-45 seconds.
Nutrition facts per serving: 390 calories, 12 g fat, 15 g protein, 51 g carbs
So happy I have leftovers to eat!