I’ve been making a lot of soup lately even with the flip floppy weather. Specifically chowder, chipotle chowder. It all started when I dug up Vegan Yum Yum. It’s one of those cookbooks purchased long ago but never really saw any action. It just sat languishing on the bookshelf. Then one day, I made the Chipotle Basil Corn Chowder.
I really liked the spicy taste the chipotle added so I kept making it. And making it. Little changes crept in each time. Basil got dropped as it was no longer summer. Then the lime went. It started to merge closer to the version that I used to make.
Next thing I knew, the chowder had evolved into something else entirely. It’s still a corn chowder but now it has cauliflower and sweet potato too (results of an everything but the kitchen sink moment).
My newest thing is topping the chowder with Kale Sprinkles. I found them at the Kaia Foods booth at the College of San Mateo farmers market. They’re basically the crumbled parts of their regular dehydrated kale chip product, Kale Krunch. Available in several flavors, Quite Cheesy, Southwest Ranch, Cheezy Chipotle and Tarragon Dijon. Highly addictive, I’ve been sprinkling them on everything.
I usually freeze at least part of the recipe after it’s cooled, portioned out into individual-sized servings. To reheat, just zap for 30 seconds on high to loosen from the plastic container and slide into a microwaveable bowl. Heat on high for 4 minutes. Take out and stir well, breaking up any icy chunks. Then hit the reheat soup setting. Make sure it’s piping hot throughout before eating. Your microwave time and settings may vary but you get the general idea.
Chipotle Cauliflower Corn Chowder
Makes about 6 servings
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 small white onion, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, small diced
1 medium carrot, small diced
2 stalks celery, small diced
1/2 medium cauliflower, cut into 1/2 inch florets
3 small red potatoes, small diced
1 whole Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce (canned), chopped
3 – 3 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable base bouillon
2 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
1/2 cup soymilk
Crumbled kale chips for garnish (optional)
Dissolve the bouillon in one cup of boiling water, set aside.
In a soup pot, heat the oil until hot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots and celery, sauté for a minute or so. Add the cauliflower, red potatoes and chipotle and sauté for another minute.
Add the bouillon broth and the rest of the water, stir to mix well. Cover and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the soy milk and corn and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Puree 2/3 or more of the soup in a blender and return to the pot, stir to mix well. For a smoother chowder, puree all of the soup.
To serve, top the individual bowls with the kale sprinkles if desired.
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Oh, I totally do the freezing containers of soup thing! It’s the best thing ever for quick dinner. I usually pop mine out of the container and stick it in a pot on the stove with some water to heat. & the chipotle cauliflower combination sounds intriguing!
ooh, I can taste that from here! Kale too…love love love kale chips!! My dehydrator spews them out daily! x
This looks wonderful. I like the chipotle and sweet potato combination. I love kale chips. What a great idea to use them as a topping for soup!
Our weather keeps alternating between gorgeous, summer-like days and rainy, gloomy, gross days, so this sounds perfect to store away for the less lovely ones. In fact, it looks like we have a whole week of them ahead, so this is perfect. :)
Eileen – It’s gotten to the point where I always have to have a stash in the freezer. I’m much too lazy to reheat on the stove, hence the microwave. :-)
India-Leigh – Love kale chips too! Once again, I’m too lazy to make them with the dehydrator. :-D
Kathy – I really liked how the flavors came out.
Hannah – That’s been the weather here too, warm and then cool, warm, cool, warm…
Oh wow, that chowder looks addicting! And kale sprinkles? Be still my heart! I’d go broke if I had those accessible to me…
sounds fantastic! I really ought to break out that cookbook more often. I just opened a can of chipotles that I need to use up. Love the kale crumble idea atop it!
Jes – Actually, the price for the kale sprinkles isn’t too bad, 3 bucks for a 4 oz bag or 3 for $8.
FoodFeud – You can also freeze the chipotles if you can’t use them all up at once.
I love the idea of using kale sprinkles as a soup topping! Having a zingy crunch would add something special. I think it’s cool how recipes morph and take on a life of their own. They continue to evolve based on seasonality and preferences, and pretty soon you have something altogether new!
Perfect for this unpredictable weather! Haha. Do you have other sprinkles in mind?
I would like to be able to print out just the recipes, but I don’t see that option available unless I print out over 10 pages for just one recipe. Help!