French Onion Soup w/ (optional) Crostini

[T-Cake]

French Onion Soup w/ (optional) Crostini

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 c sliced yellow onion
1 c sliced red onion
2 leeks (white part only), chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c reduced-sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

For crostini...
4 1-inch-thick slices baguette OR whole-grain burger bun halves
1/2 c shredded lowfat cheese (mozzarella, swiss, provolone, whatever you like or have on hand)
Salt/pepper/Italian seasoning

Directions:
1. Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. As oil is heating, slice up the onions and leeks.
3. Add onions, leeks and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring every so often, until onions are soft (about 10 minutes).
4. Add the broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper, increase to high heat and bring to a boil.
5. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes. Note: If you don't cover the pot, some of the broth will evaporate off and you may need to add some broth back in at the end to bring the portion back up.
If you're making the crostini, make these while you are simmering the soup by following the crostini directions below.
6. When ready to heat, remove the bay leaves, season to taste with salt and pepper and then serve.

Crostini directions:
* Preheat broiler to high heat.
* Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lay out the 4 pieces of whole-grain roll or bread.
* Place 2 Tbsp of cheese on each slice (to your liking).
* Sprinkle salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning on top (if you want).
* Place under broiler for approximately 2 minutes. If possible, watch this using with the oven light on to make sure you don't burn the bread.
* Take slices out of oven, cut into cubes.

Eat soup plain (1 cup servings) OR place 1-slice-worth of crostini on top of the soup before eating.

Macros for soup alone:
58 calories
2g of fat
8g of carbohydrates
4g of protein

Macros for the crostini will vary depending on the bread you choose to use.

Enjoy! This is really easy and tasty!!

[JEAH]

WOW! that looks so good. I love french onion soup. Thanks for sharing!

[T-Cake]

You're welcome!

And one more tip -- if you refridgerate the onions and leeks and cut them when they're cold, you're less likely to induce tears. I bought the produce last night and made it for lunch today. Very very tasty!