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Skinny Beer, Bacon & Jalapeño Mac-N-Cheese Soup

October 8, 2013 Amanda Plott

This is the perfect soup to serve up for your next game day spread. Plus, it's so easy to customize!

Want to make it more kid friendly?
Swap the beer for more broth and leave out the jalapeño! 

Looking for something with more of a kick?
Add in a pinch of cayenne, leave the seeds in the jalapeño, and a drizzle of hot sauce - I like Frank's! 

I know the list of ingredients is a little lengthy, but don't let that put you off. A lot of the ingredients are things that you most likely already have tucked away in your pantry or fridge.

Mmm... This is the stuff that dreams are made of.

I used up half a bottle of some Octoberfest Sam Adams that was left over in the fridge, but my guess is that your favorite beer would work out just as nicely for a substitution. 

The only thing that I would do differently next time, would be to chop my vegetables down a little more. Or maybe even toss them into a food processor.  The smaller the vegetables are diced, the quicker they will cook down!

Skinny Beer, Bacon & Mac-N-Cheese Soup
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
Servings: 5 • Size: 1 Cup • Calories: 326.4 • Fat: 10.5 g • Carb: 36.4 g • Fiber: 4.2 g • Protein: 17.5 g • Sugar: 9 g • Sodium: 525 mg

Ingredients:
 
4 Oz. Dry Elbow Macaroni Noodles, Cooked & Drained
1 1/2 C. White Onion, Chopped
1 Carrot, Chopped
1 Celery Stalk, Sliced
1 Jalapeño, Seeded & Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Tbsp. Light Butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 C. Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
1 C. Fat Free Milk
6 Oz. Beer
Pinch of Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp. Dry Mustard
2 C. Frozen Broccoli, Thawed
1 1/2 C. Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar, Shredded
2 Tbsp. Pizza Cheese Blend, Shredded
Salt & Pepper to Taste
3 Slices Reduced Sodium Center Cut Bacon, Cooked & Chopped

Directions:
Cook the onion, carrot, celery, jalapeño, garlic and butter in a large stock pot over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are nice and tender.

Add in the flour and cook for another minute or two. 

Slowly start to add in the broth, milk, beer, nutmeg and dry mustard. Cover and allow to come to a boil, simmering for about 10 minutes longer.

Add in the broccoli and macaroni noodles. Stir to combine and cover to cook until the broccoli is cooked through to your liking.

Toss in the cheeses, stir, and remove from heat immediately.

Season with salt & pepper to taste. 

Divide evenly among bowls and top with bacon bits.

Enjoy warm on game day!

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In American, Clean Eating, Game Day, Soups, Lunch, Pasta Tags bacon, beer, cheddar, jalapeno, carrot, celery, broccoli
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