Healthy Broccoli Soup

GM Diet has been going quite good for me till now although the same cannot be said for my husband who is quite sloshed already by the end of Day 2. I guess it is not easy to maintain a high pressure job and a rigorous diet at the same time. While I do have a lot of physical exertion, but I get to rest for about 2 hours in the afternoon while my baby sleeps which helps me get my energy back. This is my first time ever with such a strict diet regime and I am quite happy with the results. Many people complain that you tend to gain back whatever weight you lose in just a few days and then all the effort goes waste. However, I feel that if you maintain a healthy diet and an active lifestyle, you can still manage to retain the loss and maybe loose a few kilos more. My purpose of going on the diet was simply to loose some quick kilos and then follow a healthy diet to retain and maintain the loss. After all, it simply depends on how controlled you are over your diet and cravings. Whether I achieve my target weight is something to wait and see, but one thing which I have gained through this diet regime is self control and I am sure this gain will help me keep the scales under check. Today's recipe is a healthy yet filling and super yummy broccoli soup. I did cheat on the plan by adding a few ingredients which were not allowed for the day, but since the ingredients were not too high on calories, I decided to add them anyway.

Ingredients

4 cups (about 450 gms) broccoli florets

1 medium onion, chopped

1 stalk celery chopped

1 medium potato chopped

200 ml skimmed low fat milk

250 ml chicken broth (I used 99% low fat)

A pinch of red chilli flakes

Salt as per taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp olive oil

Direction

Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel and fry the onions and celery until onions turn pink. Now add the potatoes and broccoli followed by the broth and milk. Add the red chilli flakes. You can add an additional 1/2 cup water as it will reduce while boiling. Simmer and cook the veggies in the broth for about 20 minutes or until tender. You and cook with a lid for a faster process but keep checking in between to ensure the liquid does not overflow. Remove from heat and cool it down. With a hand blender or a juicer jar, blend the veggies along with the broth. Return to the pan and warm it. Add salt and garlic powder and stir. Serve hot with your choice of bread.