With colder weather here I am all about the fall foods- chili, soups, hearty and heart warming dishes that warm your belly and your soul. The only problem that I find with these types of foods is that they can tend to get a little.. heavy. So I set out to make a filling chowder without the chowder and my search led me to cauliflower.
Can we just take a second here to give a big shout out to cauliflower? It’s a healthy vegetable that is packed with all kinds of nutrients and vitamins yet it can be transformed into things that taste nothing like a vegetable.. I’ve seen everything from pizza crust to sandwich bread and with this chowder, cauliflower allowed me to make a creamy and delicious soup with NO DAIRY. That’s a pretty unbelievable feat, so from all of us to you cauliflower, thanks a bunch. Now onto the fun stuff..
WHY you should give it a try:
Cauliflower
- This is one vegetable that deserves a regular rotation in your diet as it contains numerous health benefits thanks to its dense amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
- This cruciferous vegetable contains a wealth of anti-inflammatory nutrients to help keep inflammation in check, including I3C, an anti-inflammatory compound that may work at a foundational level to help prevent inflammation.
- Cauliflower has a sulfur compound that has also been shown to kill cancer stem cells, thereby slowing tumor growth.
- Eating cauliflower is like winning the antioxidant and phytonutrient lottery. It’s packed with vitamin C, beta-carotene, quercetin, cinnamic acid, and much more. Antioxidants are nature’s way of providing your cells with adequate defense against attack by damaging free radicals.
Carrots
- Regular carrot consumption has been proven by researchers in Scotland to lower cholesterol.
- Vitamin C, and beta-carotene protect cells from cancer-causing chemicals. They are also anti-inflammatory which is helpful in curing osteoarthritis, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis to name a few.
- Being rich in vitamin A helps improve eyesight and prevent night blindness as we age.
- The presence of carotenoids, specifically beta-carotene, have been shown to affect insulin resistance and lower blood sugar which is proven helpful to people with diabetes.
Chicken
- Chicken is an incredibly common food being consumed today but I wanted to include the health benefits of it as a refresher course since it is such a large part of this recipe
- Chicken is very high in lean protein which is essential for muscle growth and development, and helps support a healthy body weight and aids in weight loss.
- It is a natural mood enhancer because it contains the amino acid, tryptophan. Whenever you’re feeling down, it can increase the serotonin levels in your brain which will enhance your mood.
- This form of poultry is also high in selenium which is involved in thyroid, hormone, metabolism, and immune function.
WHERE to get the goods:
- Many of the vegetables can be found at your local farmers market, especially during the fall months. But if you are unable to locate them there, most grocery stores will carry all of the items needed to make this delish dish!
HOW to enjoy it:
- This good ole fashioned chowder is tasty served hot and fresh or stays in the fridge for leftovers. When we make it, it tends to feed all of us for at least 3 meals throughout the week.
Thanks for stopping by!
Em
- 4-5 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 5 red potatoes, cubed
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 cup frozen corn
- salt and pepper to taste
- green onion garnish, optional
- shredded cheese garnish, optional
- Bring vegetable broth to boil in a large dutch oven or soup pot, add cauliflower and cook until fork-tender.
- Transfer cooked cauliflower and broth into a high speed blender or food processor, add in milk and salt and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- In the same pot you just used to boil cauliflower, heat oil over medium heat. Add in onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add carrots and potatoes and cook until fork-tender.
- Add cauliflower sauce, chicken and corn and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Garnish to your liking and serve hot.
- Enjoy!
- *I cook my chicken in a mesquite seasoning which gives great flavor to the soup when chicken is added.
- * If your soup is too think, add water into soup- 1/4 cup at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
