Cream of Chicken, Cauliflower & Fennel Soup recipe, gluten free, clean eating

We're crazy about homemade soups at our house. So when I saw the Romanesco Cauliflower and Fennel in my box from Space Girl Organics I decided to make a creamy soup for the Children's Home.  It turned out great!

The cauliflower and fennel flavors are perfect. The rich creaminess from the pureed vegetables reminds me of soups made with lots of cream and butter, but with a fraction of the calories.

I used some of the fennel stems and fronds in this soup too for the added bulk and flavor. It all cooks down to make a wonderful thick soup that you can enjoy as is or add in cooked chicken for a hearty dinner.  

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 small heads of organic Romanesco Cauliflower, clean and chop
• 1 large bulb organic fennel, remove outside leaves, stems and most of the fronds, clean and chop
• 8 small organic potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 4 cups (32 ounces) homemade chicken stock 
• 4 cups filtered water
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 tablespoon butter- opt
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large heavy soup pot, heat olive oil on medium heat.  Add cauliflower and fennel and saute, stirring for 5-7 minutes.
2. Pour in the chicken stock and water.  Simmer over medium heat with the lid slightly ajar for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  I like the potatoes to be tender but firm so that the final soup has some chunks.
3. When the vegetables are done, remove the soup pot from the heat and let cool.  In batches puree the soup until smooth in the blender.  Note:  I remove about a third of the potatoes to dice and add back in when reheating.
4. Pour the pureed soup back in the pot, add the milk,  butter, if using, cheese, chicken and season to taste.
5. Cook on low, stirring often until the cheese has melted.