Bake Potato Soup (Loaded!)

Well the Fall-like weather has finally been ushered in, and I don't know about you but when it is drizzly outside, I like to warm up with a big bowl of soup. Of course, like most of us, I still want to keep my waistline in check, and this soup does that without sacrificing flavor.

Ingredients:

3.5 C of fat-free chicken broth
        (notice how I am not using cream of chicken/potato soup; this alone saves quite a few calories and fat)
2 large potatoes
1/4 C of all-purpose flour
1.5 C of fat-fee milk
1/4 of a small onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes

Toppings:

1 tsp of fat-free cheese
1 tsp fat-free sour cream
1 tsp chopped scallions
1 tsp of real bacon bits

First put your potatoes,peeled, in the microwave for about 8 minutes. While those are cooking, add your oil, onion, and garlic to a large sauce pan and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Then add the broth and milk, and stir. Crank the heat up to medium high and whisk in your flour, slowly. Mash one of the cooked potatoes and then chop the other one. By now your mix is starting to get thick; add in your mashed potatoes and stir. Then add in your chopped potato and stir. This yeilds six, 1 cup servings.

Add your toppings to your bowl of soup and pair it with a nice, soft roll or slice of baguette. Bon appetite!