You’re the corn to my chowder

The corn to my chowder, the peanut butter to my jelly. This paleo cornbread may be the sidekick to this creamy vegan corn chowder, but it could easily be the star of the show. It might be a tad early for sweet corn season, but patience has never been my forte. If you’re equally impatient, dig into the dEATs below to get your sweet corn fix.

Life without dairy and bread? Ug. The worst. Except when you realize there are options! Now, I’m not lactose or gluten free, but I’m curious AF about trying new things and making the impossible (corn chowder without cream?! bread without gluten?!) possible. So if you need a label, I’d go by flexitarian any day of the week. About 2/3 of my meals are plant based or vegan, but being from Wisconsin, I can’t 100% give up cheese. Puh-lease. Both of these recipes will have you thinking twice about whether dairy or gluten are necessary in your life though.

Ever since I discovered the creamy texture of soaked cashews and the faux-cheesy flavor of nutritional yeast, I’ve been OBSESSED with finding more ways to get this combo in my life. Sunday was rainy and dreary, which meant I was either going to be useless on the couch all day (near impossible for someone who constantly feels the need to be doing something) or I was going to cook up a storm. And, you guessed it, I spent the day in my lab (err, kitchen) experimenting. Not all of my experiments are successful, but these two were WINNERS (maybe one day I’ll post my graveyard of mishaps).

The foundation for any good recipe is quality ingredients and corn is the star of the show here. When I was little, I thought it was SO RUDE when I saw people at the grocery store or market tearing open ears of corn. Hello, are you going to buy that? No, you’re tossing it back?! Now that I’ve gained the wisdom of age, I see the light. Come to the light with me and see below for a couple ‘o corn picking tips:

1.) First, check the tassels. If they’re brown and a bit sticky to the touch, the corn is fresh. If the tassels are black or dry, the corn is a bit older.
2.) Feel the exterior of the corn through the husk to check for even, plump kernels.
3.) Finally, pull back an inch of so of the husk if you feel the need for a visual check of plump, bright yellow and white kernels.

Once you’ve got good corn, you’re ready for the sweet satisfaction of this Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder and Paleo Jalapeno Corn Bread. Go corn crazy, my friends!

Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder and Paleo Jalapeno Corn Bread
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
Vegan Corn Chowder
-1 C of cashews, soaked overnight in water
-1/2 C of vegetable broth
-1 C of almond milk (unsweetened)
-2 stalks of celery, diced
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1 yellow onion, diced
-1 tsp garlic salt
-1 tsp smoked paprika
-1 tsp dried parsley
-1 T nutritional yeast flakes
-1 C of corn (fresh from the ear or sub 1 can of creamed sweet corn)

Paleo Jalapeno Corn Bread
-1/2 C almond flour
-1/2 C arrowroot flour
-2 eggs
-1 T ghee (or butter)
-1 C of corn (fresh from the ear or frozen)
-1/4 C unsweetened apple sauce
-1 4oz can of sliced pickled jalapenos (option to small dice for more distributed heat)
-1 tsp baking powder
-pinch of salt

Directions:
Vegan Corn Chowder
Step 1: In a large pot, heat a teaspoon or two of olive oil over medium heat on the stove top. Add the celery, red bell pepper and onion once the olive oil is hot. Saute for a few minutes until the veggies soften. Also add the fresh corn at this time (if using creamed corn, hold off on adding). 
Step 2: Blend the soaked cashews with the vegetable broth in a food processor until smooth. Add the cashew broth mixture and almond milk to the pot of sauteed vegetables. 
Step 3: Add the garlic salt, paprika, parsley and nutritional yeast to the pot. If using creamed corn, add at this time as well. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 4: Once heated, either use an immersion blender to create a smooth texture or transfer the chowder to a blender. Blend to your desired consistency and serve hot!

Paleo Jalapeno Corn Bread
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit and mix all of the ingredients in a bowl just until combined.
Step 2: Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan with coconut or olive oil. Pour the batter in the pan.
Step 3: Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick (or stick of spaghetti) comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Allow to cool.

Chowder adapted from Crazy Vegan Kitchen.
Corn Bread adapted from Wicked Spatula.