Whatever this year’s Indian summer is in San Francisco; it seems to last only from noon to four in the afternoon. The rest of the time its been crispy, windy and chilly outdoors and indoors to the point I was actually freezing last night, and needed to bundle up while reading, before turning in for the night.

This very chilly morning, I decided it was time to craft soup for dinner  or adjust a few existing recipes to fit my dietary need. So on my hunt for soup recipes, I came across this perfect  one to kick-start the soup season.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour  (omit for my Keto diet)
• 2 cups whole milk  (I will use 1 cup coconut milk instead and one can of pure coconut cream )
• 2 cups low sodium veggie or chicken broth
• 1 12 ounce pumpkin beer  (This is going to be my cheat, but you can remove it if you wish)
• 3-4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
• 1 large pinch kosher salt and pepper
• 4 cups broccoli florets  (if you are watching calorie intake, consider asparagus)
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving {more}