Lemon-Basil Zucchini Soup

So as soon as I resolve to eat healthily and all, I go from my delicious egg francaise salad over to visit a friend. My very kind friend buys me food and drink stuffed with high-carb goodness. Who am I to refuse delicious, thoughtful food? Sigh. Oh well, it was a special occasion, and I will continue to do better.

I have to get over being embarrassed about being on a diet. But I really am...I always swore that I would never diet, having seen the futile struggle of so many of my friends and family. Anyway, back to being virtuous.

The original incarnation of this recipe was from Food Network. It seems to have been taken down, and I hadn't bothered to mark who came up with it, so unknown but brilliant chef, I am sorry. (Never mind, I found it here. Apparently, the recipe is from Curtis Aikens.)

I tried this for the first time several summers ago, when the zucchini of my friend's garden overflowed blissfully onto my counters. Well, my parents' counters, at that point. As my grandmother was growing sprawling bushes of basil at the time, it was perfect. Everyone was in love with the fresh zingy flavor, and its inexpensive, home-grown characteristics.

Then, I lost it. And however many times I searched Food Network's site, using the obvious key words of 'lemon', 'basil', and 'zucchini', it would not come up. Finally, in desperation, I started searching the internet. Google found the recipe. It was on the Food Network page still. It just does not come up, even if you search for basil in the soup category. I don't know why this is, but I figure that means this recipe needs to be shared even more.

I have changed a few things about the recipe, as you can see, but feel free to change them back.

Lemon-Basil Zucchini Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds-ish zucchini, roughly chopped (you may use other summer squashes, but what I need to use up is always zucchini)
1 large onion, chopped
5 cups chicken broth (I use boxed lower-sodium, but again, to taste)
1/2 cup julienned basil
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons almond meal or other flourlike thickening substance of your choice
Salt to taste (this needs a fair amount of salt. I'd add at least a teaspoon to the soup, and if your soup tastes un-amazing at the table, a good shake of salt will make it sparkle)
Juice of 1 lemon

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or stockpot, and add zucchini and onion. Saute for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and zucchini is crisp tender. Then add broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and partially cover and cook for 25 minutes. Add basil during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Mix the butter and almond meal together into a paste. Remove 1 cup of simmering stock and whisk in butter mixture until smooth. Add back into soup, stir until thickened. Remove soup from heat to a blender or use a handy dandy stick blender and puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and serve.

FitDay tells me that the entire recipe has 590 calories, 48 grams of fat, 21 grams of protein, and 24 grams of carbohydrates. Since this is at least eight portions, and possibly more, that means three carbs or less a serving. And that makes me happy.

The original recipe calls for sour cream or yogury as a garnish or accompaniment. This could be pretty good (I'm too lazy to try it, plus half the time serve it to my mother, who is allergic to cow's milk). However, I found that the soup becomes ten times more amazing if you put your hot soup into a bowl and put a slice or two of goat cheese (the kind that comes in a log in the fancy cheese section of Kroger or similar stores) in it. It halfway melts into the soup, making it rich and creamy and fabulously tangy. I like two slices per small bowl; my husband, who is not as big of a fan of goat cheese, likes one.

You are welcome to add pepper. I am pretty sensitive to the stuff, so I let people add it at the table.

You could also use another solid-at-room-temperature oil, like coconut, or the lactose-free tastiness of ghee, and skip the goat cheese, giving you a dairy-free soup.

And now I'm going to go eat the last leftover bowl. Did I mention it keeps quite well in the fridge in a tupperware container? Mmm, goat cheese....