Sometimes, I don’t really feel like chewing.

Slurping down a warm bowl of soup seems much more appealing.

Make it a cheesy soup and the whole situation becomes even better.

Because it is still comfort food season.

And drinkable piping hot cheesiness is pretty much the definition of comfort.

Side note: If anyone out there has consumed soup through a straw, please let me know how that turned out for you, because I was all boring and utilized a traditional spoon. Do straws really improve all drinking experiences?

Now, cheesy soups are usually not all that healthy.

There’s usually a lot of cheese… which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

And even more rich, liquid dairy of some sort.

Such as cream.

Even though a pound of cheese melted into a pot of cream tastes like heaven, the resulting feeling once you start to digest all that goodness is pretty much the opposite of good.

I don’t know about you, but resembling a beached whale is less than ideal.

Even if swimsuit season is still a few months out.

So, in order to turn classic cheesy soup into healthier cheesy soup, you can rely on nonfat milk for your soup base. (Tip: Make sure it’s not cold!)

If you’re the type of person who strongly believes that nonfat milk is a waste of time and is comparable to water, just trust me on this one.

We’re about to add a bunch of flavor.

The secret to adding a lot of cheesy flavor without introducing a ton of calories and fat, is to choose cheeses that pack a strong punch.

Blue cheese and Parmesan, I’m looking at you.

Only 1/2 cup of cheese is actually stirred into this soup recipe! (Not including the garnishes, don’t go too crazy there.)

And that 1/2 cup gets divvied up between 3 or 4 people, so really you’re getting cheesy flavor with hardly any cheesy calories.

Add a bunch of fresh broccoli to the mix and this thing really starts to turn into a healthy affair.

Don’t forget the spices!

Red pepper flakes, nutmeg and fresh ground black pepper are your friends.

We’re really going to town here, because blandness is never an option.

So of course sauteed red onion and garlic are both necessary.

Blend it all up and you’re good to go!

P.S. Hand blenders are amazing. If you don’t already have one of these babies in your possession, get one asap.

P.P.S. If you’re a bit sensitive when it comes to garlic, use 2 cloves instead of 4. Please.

P.P.P.S. This recipe can serve 4 as a side, and 3 if you’re planning on souping-out for your main course.

P.P.P.P.S. I personally don’t feel the need to throw in any additional salt, but do what ever floats your boat.