Soup...My Winter love

Soup is the key to my food heart in the tundra like cold of winter.  I make various types 3 times a week for my family.  They get tired of it but I never do.  I eat leftovers for breakfast each day!  I prefer it over cereal if given a choice. I must admit though, sometimes my soups get a bit heavy.  There are vegetables but higher in carbs and fat.  Just recently I was on eightWest on WOOD TV 8 discussing healthy options for standard comfort foods.  As a Personal Chef in the Grand Rapids and West Michigan area, I pride myself on making recipes for a wide range of dietary needs.  I can prepare a full flavored no holds barred recipe as well as putting a tasty healthy twist.  Below are two recipes for corn chowder.  They are similar but you will notice a bit of a twist to lessen the carbohydrates as well as increase the fiber.  They are both great recipes worthy of a side by side comparison.  Enjoy!

Corn Chowder
6 Ears of Corn, Corn removed, reserve cob for corn stock
8 Slices of bacon, cooked, reserve bacon fat
½ onion diced fine
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 stalk of celery diced
2 carrots diced
2 medium potatoes, skin left on, diced
1 ½ quarts corn stock
8 sprigs of fresh thyme, tied into bundle with string
1 bay leaf
4 scallions (green onion) sliced thin
1 cup of heavy cream
3 tb flour
3 tb olive oil
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp cracked pepper
 

• Remove corn from cob in a large bowl.  Set corn aside.  Place cobs in a pot, add 2 quarts of water, let simmer on stove for 1 hour.  Remove cobs, strain stock into a bowl with a fine mesh strainer
• Chop cooked bacon, reserve in a bowl.  Pour bacon grease into a stock pot.  Turn heat to medium high.  Add onion, garlic, carrot and celery.  Stir often and cook for 3 minutes.  Add diced potato, corn stock, thyme, bay leaf and bring to a rolling boil but not rapid boil.  Cook until carrots and potatoes are cooked (approx 15 minutes).  Add salt and pepper.
• In a small pan, put in the olive oil and flour.  Stir roux until fully mixed.  Heat on medium high heat.  Once it begins to bubble, stir often for 3 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
• Once potatoes and carrots are cooked, add corn and cream.  Bring to a light boil.  Remove thyme and bay leaf.  Add all the roux to the pot.   Stir until chowder is thickened.  Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
• Ladle chowder into bowls, garnish with bacon and scallions.

Low Carb Low Fat Corn Chowder
6 Ears of Corn, Corn removed, reserve cob for corn stock*
2 Slices of bacon, cooked, reserve bacon fat**
½ onion diced fine
4 cloves of garlic chopped
1 stalk of celery diced
3 carrots diced
2 medium potatoes, skin left on, diced
2 quarts corn stock
8 individual sprigs of fresh thyme, tied into bundle with string
2 tsp hot sauce
1 bay leaf
4 cups peeled and chopped celery root
1 leek, washed and trimmed, white and mild green parts only
1/3 to 1/2 cup skim milk
4 scallions (green onion) sliced thin
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp cracked pepper
 
Directions:   Remove corn from cob in a large bowl.  Set corn aside.  Place cobs in a pot, add 2 quarts of water, let simmer on stove for 1 hour.  Remove cobs, strain stock into a bowl with a fine mesh strainer
Cut bacon into 4 pieces.  In a sauce pan, cover leeks and celery root with water until they are just floating.  Place on stove and bring to a small boil.  Once bacon is crisp, remove.  Turn heat to medium high.  Add onion, garlic, carrot and celery.  Stir often and cook for 3 minutes.  Add diced potato, corn stock, thyme, bay leaf and bring to a rolling boil but not rapid boil.  Cook until carrots and potatoes are cooked (approx 15 minutes). 
Once celery root is tender, drain, place in a blender or food processor, add milk and puree until smooth. 
Remove bay leaf and thyme, add celery root puree and stir into pot until smooth.  Bring to a light boil.  Add corn, hot sauce,  taste and add pinch of salt and pepper.
Ladle chowder into bowls, garnish scallions.

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