VEGETABLE CHOWDER

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6 to 8

 

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced small, about 1 cup

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small

2 cups butternut squash, diced small (the smallest squash is more than enough)

1 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced small, about 1 ½ cup

3 celery stalks, diced small

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1 can, whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed (to remove the salt added)

4 cups of low sodium vegetable broth (a little more than 2 cans of 14.5 oz canned broth)

½ teaspoon saffron threads - optional

1/3 cup of all purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt and pepper

Heat a saucepan with the oil over medium to high heat for about 30 seconds.  Add carrots and onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add squash, potatoes, celery, garlic and thyme and cook for 8 minutes until vegetables are soft stirring occasionally.  Add corn and cook for another minute. Add broth and saffron and increase the heat to high and bring to boil, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In small bowl, ladle about 1 cup of the liquid from the soup and stir with the flour. Slowly add mixture back to the soup and cook over high heat for another 3 minutes until soup is thickened and bubbly.