Healthy Zucchini Fennel Soup

With summer zucchinis growing in abundance this time of year, I am always looking for ways to use them outside of my go-to recipes. One of my favorite ways to eat zucchini is sautéed for just a few minutes with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Or if Im grilling burgers on the grill, I like to add a few zucchini spears for a healthier alternative to French fries.  For those gigantic zucchinis that are commonly found at farmers markets or backyard gardens, zucchini bread is great to make and share. Last month, I had the privilege of experiencing a cooking class with Romney Steele of the infamous Big Sur restaurant, Nepenthe, in Northern California.  During this hands-on class, 15 of us were paired in groups of two and in charge of cooking a farm-to-table recipe created by Chef Steele.  We used only vegetables made available to us from the ranch garden. I was charged with preparing a zucchini and fennel soup which was a crowd favorite.  It was flavorful and surprisingly rich considering the soup contained very little olive oil just enough to sauté the onions. Pureed with non-fat plain Greek yogurt, this soup had many layers of flavor working together harmoniously.  I would have never have thought to pair fennel with mint, yet the two ingredients together provided a tantalizing taste with every spoonful.  The two ingredients also made a beautiful garnish that looked fancy, which is always a nice touch to any meal. Today I am sharing with you an adapted version of the soup I made during the cooking class with Chef Steele.  The soup serves six people as a starter course or can be enjoyed as a main course for three to four people. Enjoy!

---

Alice Currah is the publisher of popular food blog, Savory Sweet Life. Her approachable everyday recipes are accompanied by beautiful step by step photos and have been featured online at Martha Stewart, Real Simple, The Pioneer Woman, Epicurious, Bon Appetit, Saveur, iVillage and many more. In March 2010, Forbes.com featured Alice as one of Eight of the Very Best Food Bloggers. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.