Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup

This is another Vita-mix recipe and it's delicious! I love the flavors the rosemary and dill bring into the soup. It's hearty and yet still healthy. I substituted ham for the bacon as that's what I had in the freezer.

Yield: 4 cups

Speed: Variable to High to Variable
Time: 4 minutes
Ingredients

2 cups (480 ml) skim milk

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, baked

1/3 cup (40 g) shredded, low fat cheddar cheese

1/4 small onion, sautéed

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 ounces (55 g) turkey bacon, cooked, crumbled

1. Place milk, one potato, cheese, onion, dill weed, rosemary and salt into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid. 2. Select Variable 1. 3. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High. 4. Blend for 4 minutes or until heavy steam escapes from the vented lid. 5. Reduce speed to Variable 3. 6. Remove the lid plug. Drop in remaining potato and bacon. Blend for an additional 10 seconds, until chopped.

Health Classification: Low Fat, Low Cholesterol, Heart Healthy, Gluten-Free

Meal Type: Soups

Persimmon Pudding

I absolutely love Fall {who doesn't} and all the tasty treats that come with it. Here is one that I haven't made for awhile but definitely would like to make this season if I can find ripe persimmons in the grocery store. Although it is called "pudding" it really reminds me of dark gingerbread. My mom would make it and serve it with whipped cream. I think I'm going to have to try it with coconut whipped cream because I'm sure that would be incredible with this. 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

1/3 cup melted butter

1 beaten egg

1 cup sieved ripened Persimmons

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup milk

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

 2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

Combine the two mixtures. Stir thoroughly, pour into buttered baking dish and place in shallow pan of hot water, cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Remove, cover, and brown for 10 more minutes. Serve with cream.

*Prepare one recipe at a time. Do NOT double!