What do I do with all these vegetables? Part 4: In which a share is decimated (but the kitchen sink is left intact)

I think I may have found the ultimate summer soup recipe that uses up a good deal of the vegetables we have been receiving in our share (or can be added). The herbs are flexible (my suggestions are a guideline) It can be made vegan, it can be made vegetarian, it can be made with meat! Most importantly, it is yummy for adults but very healthy! Maybe even more importantly for some of us, it is easily made for kids (see below for more instructions) and our young taste tester found it pretty tasty.

The recipe is after the jump, and modified from Veggie Venture's Summer Best Corn Chowder (the really, really healthy stats for the recipe, including Weight Watchers points, are also at the site. Be sure to include points for meat if you add it, or calories, if you are watching those!) Thanks to Jessca for posting the original recipe!


Epic Corn Chowder (makes 6-8 1.5 cup servings):

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
2 large carrots, cut into rounds or half-rounds (about 1 cup)
1 leek, diced finely
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 zucchini, diced
(You can use other diced vegetables of this sort too, especially aromatics: celery, fennel bulbs, etc)

3/4 lb yukon gold or new potatoes, diced (big chunks might be a little better texture wise for some, but diced potatoes cook faster!)
3-4 beets, diced
6 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock (use LOW SALT if you are preparing for a baby)
Herbs to taste (I used chopped parsley and pipicha as well as a whole bay leaf, but you can also use thyme, oregano, cilantro, anything you want!)
1 teaspoon kosher salt  (omit if making for baby)

1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups fresh sweet corn kernels, about 4 of our share's ears
1 1/2 cups of alternative milk (coconut would add a nice touch with some curry, but soy works) or cow milk
1 lb of chicken, shrimp, or extra firm or smoked tofu, diced  (optional)

To remove corn kernels, take a knife and slide the kernels off the cob using a sharp knife into a wide but shallow bowl. You can also get the milk from the cob by running the flat side of the knife down the cob after the kernels are removed, into the bowl.

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, and all the vegetables in the first grouping, and saute until fragrant and soft.

Add potatoes and beets and cook with the other vegetables for a few minutes. Add your liquid and your herbs and bring to a simmer, then cover. Cook until potatoes and beets are cooked, 20-35 minutes (depending on whether you diced or chopped them).

Uncover the soup and add the sugar, corn, and milk of choice. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes until the corn is soft and cooked.

If you are going to set aside some to puree for your baby, now is the time. I used my Baby Brezza but you can any other sort of food processor. A food mill would probably work well, too, or mashing if your baby prefers a chunkier texture.

After you set aside some for your child, or if you don't want to do that, you can add the meat and cook for 5-7 more minutes. Seasonwith salt (I used a packet of sazon and a few dashes of adobo with cumin).