It is currently 86 degrees here with a heat index of 99 degrees thanks to the killer humidity, and I just made a huge pot of vegetable stock followed by a pot of this chowder. I love soup and find it incredibly comforting no matter the weather! This is not a heavy, coat-your-spoon sort of chowder, it's relatively light and perfectly enjoyable any time of year.
This recipe is very easy to work around allergies/sensitivities and what you can find where you are or what you like. I use garbanzo bean flour instead of a wheat/gluten-containing flour. If you have issues with dairy, almond or rice milk would be a good substitute, or leave out the flour and milk/cream, and you still have a delicious potato and kale soup. I like to keep it on the light side, so I usually forgo the cream and use whatever milk I happen to have on hand, though the cream certainly makes it a bit more decadent. If you don't care for or can't find kale, spinach would be a great substitute. I used Yukon Gold new potatoes, but any (non-sweet) potato will work here. Shredded/cubed chicken would be a nice addition to make it even hardier.
As far as cost, you can see that a large pot of soup cost me just over $2.00. The kale came from my garden, and I used homemade stock. I do spend quite a bit on an organic gallon of milk, but at only $.41 per cup, I can live with it. Your cost will vary of course depending on the ingredients you use/purchase, but even with all store-bought ingredients, it's still fairly economical.
We don't eat a lot of potatoes, but I think they sometimes get beat up on a bit too much. No, mashed potatoes with a stick of butter and a pint of heavy cream, a baked potato with loads of sour cream, cheese and bacon bits or a plate of greasy french fries certainly are not healthful options, but there are lots of nutrients in potatoes, both in the flesh and skin (so wash well and don't peel them!). Nutrients and their amounts can vary by potato variety, but a medium (173 grams) baked potato with the skin on provides 28% of the standard daily recommended amount of Vitamin C, 27% of Vitamin B6, 10% of iron, 26% of potassium, 12% of folate, 4 grams (15%) of dietary fiber, 4 grams (9%) of protein and fair amounts of many other vitamins and minerals. It contains 37 grams of carbohydrates, which is only 12% of the standard recommended daily value, and given the nutrients it's packing, it more than keeps it within the realm of reasonable for me personally.
As I mentioned in my kale chips post, kale is a nutrient-powerhouse! Just one cup of raw kale provides over 200% of the standard recommended amount of Vitamin A, over 100% for Vitamin C and almost 700% for Vitamin K! It's also a good source of Vitamin B6, dietary fiber, iron, calcium, folate and other vitamins and minerals. One cup even gives you two grams of protein! I love it on sandwiches and in salads, sauteed or in soups such as this one, just as I would use spinach or other greens.
Potato and Kale Chowder
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp flour
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 lb potatoes, cubed
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 (packed) cups kale, torn into bite-size pieces
3 cups homemade vegetable stock (or any vegetable or chicken stock you've got)
1 cup milk or cream
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Step 1: Heat olive oil in large soup/stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, parsley and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes, until vegetables are just getting tender. Add flour, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add kale and milk/cream, return to a simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat, remove bay leaf, taste check for any additional salt/pepper needed and serve.
Cost:
Potatoes: Yukon Gold B-size on sale for $.99/lb = $.99
Kale: Garden Freebie!
Stock: Homemade Near-Freebie!
Celery: $1.18/bunch, 2 stalks is 1/6 = $.20
Carrots (organic): $.98/lb package, 2 carrots is 1/5 = $.20
Onion: $.75/lb, used 5 oz = $.23
Milk (organic): $6.49/gallon, 1 cup is 1/16 = $.41
Total Cost: $2.03
Six Servings: $.34 per serving
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