Broccoli-Edamame Soup with (optional) Jumbo Cheese Croutons

December is here!  Unfortunately, that means cold weather is too (remember, I'm a heat-aholic).  The good news? It is soup season!!  Along with salads, I love how pretty much anything can be turned into a warm, delicious soup. 

This recipe- taken from Vegetarian Times  magazine, is sure to warm you and your loved ones up with healthy deliciousness!

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 3 cups frozen shelled edamame
• 1 lb. broccoli, trimmed, stems and florets chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 8 1/2-inch-thick slices from skinny whole-grain baguette
• 4 oz. aged goat cheese, shaved

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Sauté 10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup broth, scraping bottom of pot to lift off any brown bits. Add remaining 51/2 cups broth, edamame, broccoli, and garlic. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes.

 
 **Optional step! I enjoyed my soup sans cheese croutons, although a little crunch does balance out the texture.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet, and bake 6 minutes, or until crunchy on both sides. Remove from oven, and arrange cheese over toasts. Return to oven, and bake 6 minutes more, or until cheese has softened.

3. Working in batches, transfer soup to blender, and blend until creamy and smooth. Return soup to pot, and warm over low heat. Ladle soup into 8 shallow soup bowls; float 1 cheese crouton in center of each bowl. 
(Note: I left a little chunk to my soup by not blending it all the way.  You can, too! Just leave ~ 2 cups unblended, or choose the "chop" option and pulse until soup reaches desired consistency.)  

Bon appétit!

In light and love, Ainsley