Sun-dried Tomato & Corn Chowder

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

This soup turned out gorgeous.  Forget eating; I could just sit and stare at it. hehe  Ever have moments like that with food?   This soup would be perfect any time of the year.  Eat chilled during the summer months or warm it up a tad for those chillier days.

As you can see in the recipe, I used both the blender and food processor.  I am normally am not one to dirty extra dishes, but I wanted to create two different textures, one smooth and one chunky.  Mouth-feel of a dish is almost as important as its flavor, how it looks and even how healthy it is for you.

One very important thing that I want to share with you before I let you go is… CORN, always, always buy organic, non-GMO corn.  If the corn you have locally isn’t clearly labeled as such, don’t be afraid to call the manufacturer and ask them.  In fact, I encourage you to do so.

This will help to create a strong awareness that we, the consumers care about where our food comes from and how it is grown.  For this recipe, I used a great quality brand of frozen corn, but if you have access to fresh, that is always the best.

You can also make this soup without the soaked cashews, but I don’t recommend it.  It will still taste good but the cashews add a smooth and creamy base, much like a creamed soup would be when using dairy.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

yields 5 1/2 cups

Blender:

• 1/2 cup cashews, soaked 2+ hours
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 2 cups organic corn kernels
• 1 cup chopped Sun-dried Tomatoes, rehydrated

Food Processor:

• 2 cups organic corn kernels
• 2 tsp dried dill
• 2 Tbsp fresh chives
• 2 cups water (as needed)

Preparation:

1. After soaking the cashews, drain and rinse them.
2. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and cover with hot water.  Allow they to rehydrate while you get the rest of the recipe going.  Drain the water from the sun-dried tomatoes when ready to add them.  They should be soft.
3. In the blender combine the cashews, water, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and cayenne.  Blend until creamy, and you don’t notice any gritty feeling.
4. Add 2 cups of corn and the sun-dried tomatoes.  Blend until smooth and then pour into the food processor that is fitted with the “S” blade.
5. Add the additional 2 cups of corn, dill, chives, and water.  Process until broken down but leave chunks for texture.
6. Eat right away or store in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Warming Suggestions:

1. Allow the soup to warm to room temperature and enjoy.
2. Place the serving bowl in hot water, allowing it to heat up before adding the soup.  This will help take a little extra chill off of the soup and make it cozy warm to hold in your hands.
3. Pour a serving size of soup in a mason jar, place lid on top and tighten… immerse the jar in hot water till it warms the soup to your liking.
4. Pour into a small saucepan and heat on the stove.  Use your fingertip as the temperature gauge; it shouldn’t get too hot for your finger.  You can also use a thermometer gauge if this concerns you.
5. Dehydrator – if you have a “box” shaped dehydrator such as the Excalibur, pour the soup into a wide mouth baking dish and turn the heat to 145  (F) degrees.  Warm for 30-60 minutes.  You can also place the temperature at 115 degrees and heat for 3-4 hours.  You will need to gauge this.   The more soup that exposed to the air, the quicker it will warm.

Culinary Explanations:

• Why do I start the dehydrator at 145 degrees (F)?  Click (here) to learn the reason behind this.
• When working with fresh ingredients, it is important to taste test as you build a recipe.  Learn why (here).

Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, sugar free, Vegan