Baked Potato Soup - Kyleigh's Low-Fat version!

So I've had a burning desire for the last few days to make baked potato soup. Alex and I went out somewhere, and he saw it on the menu and was like "Oh! I want that!" and it got me thinking about how many calories are in that soup, and also the fact that I can't eat it most of the time because they cook it with bacon in it. I decided to do some searching for some low-fat recipes, and had a really hard time finding anything that was actually low-fat. some of them are like "use low-fat sour cream!" Well thanks, as if I didn't figure that out! All of the recipes were calling for 2% milk and cheese and bacon... it was getting ridiculous thinking about all the fat involved, so I took it upon myself to meld a few recipes together, and make a soup of my own.

Baked Potato Soup, Kyleigh's Low-Fat version!

1. 4 baking potatoes 
2. 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3. 4 cups skim milk
4. 2 cups 1% milk *
5. 1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese
6. 1 teaspoon salt
7. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8. 1 cup non-fat sour cream
9. 3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided**
10. 6 slices turkey bacon (or other soy substitute) ***

* I used 2 cups of 1% milk out of convenience, and because to make the soup thick a little bit of fat content is necessary to make it 'creamy'. I'm fairly certain you could do it with all skim, but in my first venture making it, I used 2 cups of 1% milk.

** I didn't use green onions in mine. I used chives, although all the recipes I read call for onions. I don't know about you, but I put chives on my baked potatoes!

*** You can use regular bacon. I do not eat regular bacon, and turkey bacon is SO much better for you! If you're a vegetarian, there are a few different soy based 'bacon' strips out there. I haven't tried all of them, but my main problem with them is they don't crisp up - and in order to get crumbly bacon bits, you kind of need it to do that. Feel free to play around with this option, you don't even have to add it if you ask me! It's just an added flavour!

1. Cook potatoes. I used my microwave out of convenience again, but you can absolutely bake them for real if you have the time. Try it on 400 degrees, and bake them for about an hour - otherwise, pierce the potatoes with a fork, and 2 at a time put them in the microwave for 8-10 minutes or until tender wrapped in paper towel. If you're going to peel them, do it before you put it in the microwave, otherwise you'll be scooping it out, and it's hard to do when the potatoes are hot!

2. Either way you cook them, get them out of the skins and coarsely mash them up. I left mine quite chunky, but you could mash them finer or even chunk them if you'd like.

3. Place flour in a large Dutch oven or large pot; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. When I say large pot, I am not kidding. 6 cups of a milk and all that potato is a lot - this isn't a small recipe! Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Mine took a little longer than 8 minutes, and if you find it's hard to get thick, add the potatoes after about 10 minutes. It helps to get more starch in the pot!

4. Add mashed potatoes,  cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions (or chives!). Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving with cheese, onions, and bacon and sour cream.

I served mine with some flaky buns last night, and it was a delicious and different dinner. Sometimes we get stuck eating the same kind of things, especially since we're both on a health kick trying to eat better and lose some excess weight (hooray for losing 5 pounds!). It's hard not to find yourself eating chicken and rice, or a salad for dinner every night. I really enjoyed making it! It was easy, not super time consuming (I think it took about an hour to make... including cooking time!) and it was quite good! I saved myself some at home to eat for dinner tonight before I head off to choir, and I'm glad I did because Alex scarfed all the stuff I brought for him down last night! Haha!

Anyway, I just wanted to share my dinner with you - if you have the time, give it a try! =)

Blog, and be happy!

Kyleigh.