CHEEZY CORNY CHOWDER

While a lot of my Connecticut friends were suffering in the cold and dark, I was without my phone and Internet in Florida.  I'm not complaining, mind you, just dealing with the lack of all that the 21st Century has to offer.  Now that I am back online the good news is so are our northern friends.  I am so sad that they had to live through a week of no power.  Here is a soup that  may not turn your power on in your house, but may provide super-power for your energy level.

If you don't have fresh corn like we do in southern Florida, frozen corn will work just fine.  Please see my notes on nutritional yeast.  It is a life saver in the kitchen when you need a little something that will add a protein punch and it tastes good too.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 sweet onions chopped fine
4 ears corn cut from cob (approx. 2 cups)
1 - 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 - 13.5 ounce can coconut milk (light or regular)
2 cups water
4-6 small potatoes cut into bite size
1/2 cup nutritional yeast *
1 teaspoon  vindaloo spice *
1 teaspoon toasted cumin *
1 teaspoon  balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onions with the olive oil  until translucent - add corn and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.  Add water, coconut milk, and tomatoes with their juice.  Add potatoes, nutritional yeast and spices. Cook for about 20-30 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.  Use an immersion blender to cream half of the soup.

Season with salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar to taste.

*nutritional yeast is not a baking yeast.  It is a yeast product that sprinkles like Parmesan cheese and has a slight nutty cheesy flavor.  It is full of protein, fiber and minerals and it is what give this soup a thick cheesy flavor.

 * Vindaloo spice is a mixture or ground coriander, garlic cumin, ginger, cinnamon, brown mustard, red pepper, jalapeño, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper and clove.  My jar is from Penzey's Spices.  Substitute with your favorite mixture if you would like.

* Please see a previous post on toasted cumin.  It is one of my favorite to make fresh from cumin seeds.  Purchased  ground cumin is fine.  I like the complexity in taste that the toasted cumin provides.