creamy sweet corn & potato chowder
No secrets here: I love soup. I’m comforted by the aroma, the motion of warm broth seeking the chilled crevices of my body and embracing them until the cold melts away. All kinds of soup: thick chili, pureed tomato, the salty and the liquid.
And this soup, still thick but not as heavy as traditional chowder, lighter in calories and still appropriate for the increasing heat of approaching summer. We served ours with crusty homemade baguette, but a simple green salad with vinaigrette or a steamed vegetable medley pairs well instead. You could even experiment with directly adding summery staples like yellow squash, zucchini, or broccoli florets into the soup for an extra punch of nutrients and heightened fiber content.
Reasons to enjoy potatoes
Cauliflower mash replaces potatoes on many a carb-fearing plate, but in reasonable quantities, no reason exists to avoid potatoes. So long as loads of butter, cheese, or oil aren’t added to a dish (of course, nothing wrong with some indulgence every now and then!), potatoes prove a nutritious addition to any diet, particularly for endurance athletes who might struggle with carb intake. Shockingly, I am one of those folks! Just some of the happy faces potatoes inspire on the faces of dietitians and other such experts:
- No fat or cholesterol
- High vitamin C and B6 content
- Good dose of potassium
- Surprising source of tryptophan, which can improve sleep
- Excellent fiber source for digestive regularity
So, folks, love your potatoes, love your soup, love your supper.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- kosher salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 lb russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 can corn
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add celery and onions, cook until soft and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Toss garlic in, cook about 30 seconds.
- Turn the heat to high and dump thyme, potatoes, and broth into the pot, stirring to combine. Bring liquid to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart, about 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in corn, coconut milk, and cheese until warmed, thickened, and the cheese melts. I prefer shredding a block of cheese to obtain the needed amount rather than buying pre-shredded – I find the former softens much more easily.
- Serve with additional mozzarella, fresh parsley, and baguette, as desired.
