When I was a kid, one of my favourite things in the whole world was a bowl of sweet and creamy corn chowder. I remember learning how to make it with cans of sweetened “creamed corn”, heavy cream and then melting shreds of orange cheddar all over the top. Pure bliss in a bowl.
That was before I realized the bulk of my digestive issues came from dairy and that cheddar cheese isn’t meant to be orange. If I had that now I would die. Well, not literally. But, it would NOT be good.
So, you can understand why I get so excited when I can basically replicate old my old comfort foods with a healthier twist like this amazingly creamy and sweet, dairy-free, corn chowder.
It is seriously off-the-charts good. And so thick and velvety that you will like it even more than the version you’re used to with dairy. I promise!
How’d I get it so creamy, you ask? Well, it’s as simple as a coconut milk base with added hemp seeds and cashews for added protein, healthy fats and fibre. Even corn and potatoes contain protein. But, if you feel you need more, you can add a few lentils in here or some sustainable wild-caught seafood.
And, yes, I did add a small amount of pure maple syrup to add that hit you’d get from a canned creamed corn without the refined white sugar. Totally does the trick, but is completely optional. Also, if you find this too think for your liking all you need to do is add more water until you achieve your desired consistency.
Frozen corn is a great thing to have on hand in your freezer to add a pop of sweet crunch to any quick meal, but make sure you get organic because most corn is genetically modified and I’d advise you to steer clear. In the warmer, summer months, you can make this using fresh corn off the cob. Fun fun!
Let’s get to it!
- - 1 tbsp coconut oil
- - ½ large sweet onion, diced
- - 3 carrots, sliced or diced
- - 3 stalks of celery, sliced or diced
- - 2-3 cups filtered water
- - 2 potatoes, cubed
- - 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- - 400 ml can organic coconut milk
- - ¼ c hemp seeds
- - ½ cup cashews, soaked at least 30 minutes (and drained)
- - 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- - 2 c frozen organic corn
- - 2 green onions, sliced.
- - ½ tsp sea salt + pepper each
- - 1 lime, cut into wedges (for garnish)
- - 2 tbsp chopped green onion (for garnish)
- - ½ tsp (or a sprinkle) of chili flakes (for garnish)
- In a small bowl, cover cashews with water and let soak at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours). Meanwhile, use this time to wash and chop your veggies.
- In large soup pot, heat coconut oil on med/high heat, add onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes
- Add chopped potatoes, garlic and water then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low simmer and cover for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, add your coconut milk, hemp seeds, rinsed pre-soaked cashews, maple syrup to blender and puree until smooth and creamy.
- Once potatoes are fork tender, add cream sauce to soup base along with frozen corn, sliced green onion, salt + pepper and stir well. Heat through. (Add more water to thin it out if necessary).
Do a happy dance.
The healthy fats in this make it super satisfying, but you could also treat yourself to a nice side of sourdough toast. Much better than a biscuit.
I’m telling you, there’s no way even a die-hard dairy lover would be able to tell that this recipe is dairy-free. I really can’t wait for you to try this recipe out and tell me what you think.
Always healthy, sometimes corny and vice versa. 😉
KD
