A classic corn chowder would have heavy cream and lots of bacon, so a neoclassic version is one that has had a health makeover: Instead of cream, it uses flour-thickened low-fat milk; instead of pork bacon, turkey bacon. Although turkey bacon is sometimes colored to resemble pork bacon, with its white streaks of fat, it’s actually nothing but lean. So to cook it, you need to use a nonstick pan and sometimes a little oil. Here we “stretch” the oil by using some water to keep the bacon from sticking. And we’ve reduced the salt, so each serving provides less than 300 milligrams of sodium. Lastly, if you want to go vegetarian, skip the turkey bacon or substitute it with “fake bacon” (made with wheat protein, soy protein, tempeh, or other meat substitutes).
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cups water
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 slices (1 ounce total) turkey bacon, coarsely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ½ pound red potatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup low-fat (1%) or fat-free milk
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
- In a nonstick Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil and ½ cup of the water over medium heat. Add the onion and bacon, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and the water has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the pepper is soft, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining 1½ cups water, the potatoes, salt, and black pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, blend the milk into the flour. Add to the soup, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the corn and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil and serve.
Makes 4 servings; per serving: 215 calories, 5g total fat (1.5g saturated), 4g dietary fiber, 37g carbohydrate, 8g protein, 290mg sodium.
From The Wellness Kitchen
