I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I cooked a feast for family and friends and this was a big hit. This is relatively guilt-free as it does not have the usually heavy cream and uses potato to thicken. It is not maybe the most attractive but it IS good. Adapted from an Eating Well recipe Recipe by Anna Thomas, September/October 2011. I apologize for not taking many photos but I got busy and forgot and I wanted to share this! The original recipe left out something and I did not realize until after I made it. Next time I will add more broth to make it not so thick (and a bit smoother). That change is reflected in my recipe below. I made this the day before and so it was easy to just reheat before serving.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups Vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh
• 1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons cream sherry
• 2 cups vegetable broth, store-bought or homemade
• Spinach – about 1 1/4 pounds), any tough stems trimmed
• Pinch of pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (2 ounces), plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
• Soup croutons for garnish (see below)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and thyme and cover. Cook, stirring frequently until the pan cools down, and then occasionally, always covering the pan again, until the onions are greatly reduced and have a deep caramel color, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the 2 cups broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large soup pot or Dutch oven; add potato. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until very soft, 12 to 15 minutes.
3. When the onions are caramelized, stir sherry (or Marsala) into them; add them to the pot along with broth. Add the remaining broth. Return to a simmer. Stir in spinach, cayenne and nutmeg; cover and cook, stirring once, until the spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat, stir in goat cheese, butter and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; allow the butter and cheese to melt. Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until perfectly smooth or in a regular blender in batches (return it to the pot). Taste and add more salt and/or lemon juice, if desired. Serve garnished with a large soup crouton and crumbled goat cheese, if desired.

1 Carbohydrate Serving  Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

• To make soup croutons: Slice one-fourth of a whole-grain baguette into slices 1/2 inch thick. Melt 1 tablespoon butter; lightly brush on both sides of each slice. Place the slices on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until the edges are crisp and golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes, keeping an eye on them so they don’t burn.