Broccoli Soup, with Almonds & Marmite

Marmite is something that I had never heard of until quite recently. Someone mentioned it casually in a radio interview, then I saw it at my food coop, and once it got into my shopping basket it seemed I attracted anyone with a British accent! Several people mentioned that they grew up eating it on toast. This I have not yet done. Someone else mentioned it was a nice addition to soups and stews. It sat on my shelf barely two weeks waiting for me to discover it. But when a good friend shared a very simple broccoli soup recipe with me, I found I just couldn't put enough salt into it without making it taste, well, salty. So I tested out a little marmite and shazaam! The depth of flavor in that broccoli reinvented itself without that "salty" quality. If you don't have marmite, you can always add a little spice - perhaps a bit of thyme or dash of tamari would do the same trick.

Broccoli Soup, with Almonds & Marmite

2 stalks of broccoli
1/4 cup slivered and chopped roasted almonds
6 cups or so of water
salt
pepper
marmite

1. Wash the broccoli and cut it up.
2. Put the broccoli in a pot with salted water to cover
3. Boil and then simmer for about 10-15 minutes until soft.
4. Over a large bowl, strain out water. Take out the tough stems, then add back just enough water so you can puree the broccoli.
5.  Stir in the almonds, add a bit more broth and blenderize just another moment if you need it before you add the marmite. Mix that marmite in and serve!

You can offer this with a sprig of tarragon, or thyme, or a sprinkle of slivered toasted almonds. A lovely light soup. Makes about a quart with two stalks of broccoli.

Broccoli Soup Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 Serving (240g) figuring 4 per quart Amount Per Serving % Daily Value* Calories 70 3% Total Fat 5g 8% Saturated Fat 0g 2% Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 0% Sodium 245mg 10% Total Carbohydrate 4g 1% Dietary Fiber 2g 6% Sugars 1g 0% Protein 3g 6% Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 27% Calcium 4% • Iron 3% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs. courtesy of cronometer.com using my data.