Quinoa Corn Chowder

Recipes reprinted with permission from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. Photo by Alissa Segersten.

dairy free • vegan optional
makes about 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 to 4 carrots, diced
• 1 large poblano pepper, diced
• 4 to 5 ears corn cut from the cob or 1-16 ounce bag frozen corn
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 to 3 tablespoons raw cashew butter
• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups cooked chopped chicken (optional)
• 2 to 3 cups chopped kale
• 2 teaspoons Herbamare (available in the Co-op spice section)
• freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Heat an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add the olive oil, then add the onions and leeks; sauté
   about 5 minutes.
3. Then add the garlic, celery, carrots, pepper, and corn;
   sauté a few minutes more.
4. Add the stock and cashew butter; cover and simmer for
   20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the cooked quinoa, chicken (optional), kale, Herbamare, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper; cover and
   simmer 5 to 10 minutes more.
6. Taste and adjust salt and seasonings if necessary. If you like
   your chowder spicy, garnish your bowl with chopped fresh serrano chilies!
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro, parsley, and/or serrano chilies.

Variation: Replace the cooked quinoa with cooked wild rice.

Tip: To cut sweet corn from the cob, stand it up over a plate or a wide, shallow bowl and cut downwards using a serrated knife. Keep rotating the corncob to cut it all.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1½ to 1¾ cups water
• pinch sea salt

METHOD

1. Rinse quinoa well with warm water and drain through a fine strainer. Quinoa has a natural saponin coating that repels insects and birds. It has a bitter taste and can cause some digestive upset when consumed. Rinsing with warm water removes the saponin.
2. Place rinsed quinoa, water, and sea salt into a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed.
4. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Alissa Segersten holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University. She is the founder of Whole Life Nutrition and Nourishing Meals, the mother of five children, a whole-foods cooking instructor, professional recipe developer, and cookbook author. She is passionate about helping others find a diet that will truly nourish them, and offers elimination diet recipes, healthy gluten-free recipes, and paleo and vegan recipes, as well as tips for feeding your family a nourishing, whole-foods diet.