Gluten Free Summer Corn Chowder

Gluten Free Summer Corn Chowder

 

If you've been to the grocery store or farmer's market lately you can't help but notice the piles and piles of corn.  Three for a dollar was a deal too good to pass up.  Cauliflower was also just 99 cents.  Can't beat that.  I brought it home and stuffed it in the produce drawer and forgot it was there.

Tonight was the night to do something with those yummy summer veggies before they bit the dust.  I looked up Corn Chowder and Potato Corn Chowder and they all called for cream or other heavy things I didn't want in my soup.  So I set out to come up with a healthy alternative that would still have that creamy feeling without the guilt.  This particular recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower
3 ears of corn
2 cups of low sodium organic chicken broth
1 small onion diced
1 clove of garlic minced
1/8 tsp Himalayan sea salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne

Directions

Steam cauliflower until tender.  Boil the corn leaving it a bit al dente.  This is where my trusty double decker pot with steamer basket comes in handy.  The corn is cooking underneath.

Saute the onion until a nice caramelization begins to form.  Add garlic and cook just a minute longer.

Once the corn is finished boiling remove all the kernels from the cob.  I learned this neat little trick somewhere along the way to keep the kernels from ending up all over the counter and floor.  Simply put a smaller bowl upside down inside a larger bowl, prop the corn up on the smaller bowl and gently slice away the kernels.

Now it's time to put it all together.  This is where I can't say enough about the Vitamix blender.  I swear I should be a salesman for them.  It just made a night and day difference in my kitchen.  Now I can't imagine cooking half the things I do without it.  Add cauliflower, onions, garlic, chicken stock, spices and 3/4's of the corn to the blender.  Start out on low and turn it up to high.  Let it blend for 4-5 minutes so that the soup gets nice and hot.  Just before serving, add the remaining kernels to the soup and stir it to incorporate.

Variations

This is where it gets fun.  You can add 1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning to the soup and saute shrimp in Old Bay and Olive Oil.  Stir the shrimp in or place them on top just before serving.  Or try 1/4 cheddar cheese and some leftover roasted chicken.  I think you'll find this soup serves as a nice light summer dish on it's own, but with any of the above it becomes a much heartier meal.  Let me know what you would add in the comments below.