Asparagus Soup

Remove the woody end of each asparagus spear. Remove the tips of all the asparagus spears and set aside. Cut the rest of the asparagus spears into 1" pieces.
Chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves.
Heat the olive oil in the pot. Add the onion and saute until tender. Add the garlic to the pot and saute for a minute or less, until it is tender and aromatic.
Add the broth to the pot along with the salt, pepper, lemon juice and 1" asparagus pieces. Bring to a boil and simmer until the asparagus is very fork tender.
Add the asparagus tips to the pot. They will only require a few minutes to become fork tender. As soon as they are, use a slotted spoon to remove half of the tips from the broth. Put them into cold water to stop the cooking. Drain off the water and set aside.
Use an immersion blender to puree the asparagus pieces and onion in the broth. If you do not have an immersion blender, puree in small batches in a regular blender.
When you are satisfied with the smoothness of the soup, taste it. Add more salt and a bit of garlic powder if you think it's needed.
Add the dehydrated potato flakes to the soup and stir until it is well incorporated. It will thicken the soup and add to the creaminess of it.
Stir in the fat free half and half or similar product of your choice.
Serve the soup and use the asparagus tips as a garnish.
Left overs should be refrigerated.