Dang, this time of year just beckons me to make soup! But soup isn’t always friendly to one’s waistline, you know? I mean, a hearty bowl of something like chow-dah (I think it’s a prerequisite that you say it that way) isn’t always healthy, but man-oh-man is it satisfying. Heavy soups generally mean heavy cream, cheese, and other good-tasting-but-bad-for-your-waist kinds of ingredients. So when you’re trying to stay warm, and still eat healthy, sometimes you have to get creative. But how to do that, you ask? Well, have no fear! It’s a healthy Lime Corn Bell Pepper Chow-dah to the rescue!
Several years ago, I picked up a great bargain bin cookbook called “Eating Well for a Healthy Heart“. Since heart disease runs on both sides of my family (I won the genetics lottery, folks!), I thought it was a good idea to at least pretend I was going to try and eat healthier. Well, lo and behold, you’d never know most of these are “healthy recipes” because they are so flavorful and satisfying. This little gem of a hearty soup came from this cookbook.
Since I just have to stay the course on my quest for all things citrus this week, I made the lime a little more “front and center” in my version of this warming dish. The lime gives a beautiful brightness to the sweetness of the corn and the hearty nature of the bell peppers.
Make a batch, pour a bowl, and feel good from the inside out knowing this one is actually good for you! Chow-dah, indeed!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 people | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 30 minutes |
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While the original recipe doesn't call for it, I prefer to roast the corn and the peppers before adding them to the soup. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the corn, and the beautiful depth of the peppers. Serve it with some crusty bread, and you've got yourself a meal for a cold day of hunkerin' down to binge watch your favorite show!
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- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- fresh ground pepper (to taste)
- 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
- 1 tbsp. yellow cornmeal
- 1 small red bell pepper (roasted, deseeded and chopped) (see recipe notes)
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced (white & light green parts)
- 2 tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp. hot sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium high heat.
- Saute onions and cook, stirring often, until translucent and lightly browned, about 6-7 minutes.
- Add corn and garlic; cook until corn is softened and garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add broth & simmer until corn is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in salt & pepper.
- Using slotted spoon, transfer 1 1/2 cups of corn mixture to a blender or food processor.
- Add sour cream & 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. (yes, I know this doesn't look appetizing yet, but stay with me)
- Process mixture until smooth, about 2 minutes. (seriously, it will look better soon!)
- Return puree to pan with broth and remaining corn mixture. (I know, I know, I keep promising it looks better, but I swear I'm not lying to you!)
- Whisk in cornmeal; bring soup to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens. If you need to add more cornstarch to ensure a chowder-like consistency, add 1/4 tsp. at a time, whisking in between additions to monitor soup's thickness. (this is the last one where it looks like baby food, I promise!)
- Add bell peppers, scallions and lime juice. Stir to incorporate. (And now it's starting to look tasty, right??)
- Add hot sauce (if using). Stir to incorporate, adjusting amount depending on how spicy you like your soup.
- Serve topped with parsley, and enjoy! Tasty AND beautiful, to boot!
As I mentioned here, I prefer to roast the corn and the bell peppers to add depth to this dish. Well, who am I kidding--I like roasted bell peppers in just about anything.
Never roasted one before? Easy peasy! Just cut the bell peppers in half, remove the seeds and white pith from each pepper, and broil them, skin side up, in a toaster oven or your regular oven for 12 minutes or until skins have blackened and blistered. Place peppers in plastic bag and allow them to steam for 30 minutes.
At that point, the skins should slough off and you've got yourselves some perfectly roasted red bell peppers. Mmmmmmmm!!!!
Oh, and if you don't want to do that, you can always use jarred roasted bell peppers. Still tasty, but I love mine homemade. <smiley face>
A Boston-Mexican classic (based on the title?) LOL. This looks fantastic.
Gotta mix it up down here in Texas! LOL
This looks wonderful! I love the lime in it!
Looks absolutely delicious! I’d love a bowl, maybe with a hunk of cornbread, too!
My husband is a chowder fiend! He would love if I made this for him!
Pass me two spoons Dee Dee! This looks absolutely delicious and I could happily eat this for lunch every day for a week! Yum!!! Loved the roasting peppers tip, did not know about the plastic bag. Thanks!
Yum, I love a good chowder, this sounds delicious, especially with the roasted red bell peppers, so glad it’s healthy too!
This looks so creamy and tasty. I want to make it and saved in my soups board on pinterest.
Amazing how rich and creamy it looks with so little sour cream. Pure deliciousness!
I know! It’s amazing how creamy and silky it is without having any cream or much dairy at all. De-lish!