Contributor | KRISTINA
Method
We had this delicious soup a few nights ago for dinner. We dipped artisan bread into the cheesy goodness and all of us were satisfied with this filling meal. The kids loved it too.
It was a recipe I created using the combination of a chicken broth base with a roux-a mixture of flour, milk, butter and cheese, added at the end. So, the healthy part was all the vegetables-kale, corn, onions, green onions and potatoes. The Canadian bacon was much leaner than regular bacon, at only 60 calories a serving (3 slices) and 1.5 grams of fat. The smokey flavor added a lot to the soup, too. And, the indulgent part was the real butter and cheese added to the soup. But you could always use reduced fat and less of those ingredients if you wanted to.
Here's what went into the chowder:
2 liters of chicken broth (I used Better than Bouillon Organic Reduced Sodium)
12 diced slices of smoked Canadian bacon
1 head of kale, torn into small pieces
1 can of corn
1 diced onion
3 diced green onions
3 diced potatoes
salt
pepper
for the roux:
2 c. milk
2c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. whole white wheat flour
Add broth to a large pot and allow to boil, then reduce heat.
Dice potatoes, bacon, onions, kale and add to pot. Add can of corn too.
Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Melt butter in saucepan, add flour and mix well.
Gradually stir in milk and cook over low heat until slightly thickened.
Stir in cheese and cook until melted.
Add to broth mixture.
Cook and stir over low heat until heated. Add pepper and a dash of salt.
Serve with bread.
Variations on this soup: If you're vegetarian, try vegetable broth with Great Northern beans. Add lots of different vegetables, like carrots, celery or green beans.
Jeff & Kristina at the Empty Spoon Blog
