Your circadian rhythm makes sure your body is performing at its best during different times of the day.
I might argue that we also have a seasonal circadian rhythm — a culinary one that ensures we crave different foods at different times during the year that benefit both our bodies and the environment.
We naturally gravitate to seasonal produce, for instance. I mean, who doesn’t love berries in the summer and root vegetables and squashes in the winter? And in the cold, dreariness of winter, who isn’t comforted by a chili or slow-cooker masterpiece? They are called “comfort foods” for a reason, and they’re perfect for when you want to cozy up next to the fire.
Nothing made it clearer to me that soup season was upon us than when I opened our kitchen cabinets and saw many cans of Campbell’s soup. Yup, my husband, who works remotely, went to the grocery store and stocked up with his childhood favorites.
While I love his initiative, I hate to think of him eating high-sodium, processed soup on the daily. So I pulled out some old favorite soup recipes as well as a few new ones I have been wanting to try. I made my shopping list, hit the grocery store and had a great Sunday afternoon making three different soups.
What I love about soup season is that you can quickly whip up a hearty pot of goodness and then divide it into quarts to freeze for another day. That way you don’t get sick of eating the same soup over and over, and you don’t have to resort to less healthy, canned alternatives.
Soup feeds a crowd, and coupled with a salad and a crusty baguette, your bellies are more than satisfied. Leftover soup makes packing the kids’ lunches the next day a breeze; simply reheat it and fill up the thermoses.
Today I am sharing my friend Mary’s chicken and corn chowder recipe. Back when I was teaching cooking classes, I had a group that only wanted to learn soup recipes. Mary was kind enough to share this family favorite (she raised four very active boys) and it was a big hit.
Give this one a whirl, and you can surely tackle a few others: classic chicken soup (always add minced ginger), simple lentil cumin soup, and the Italian sausage and spinach soup in the “Easy Keto in 30 Minutes” cookbook.
I like to mix things up and sometimes do a brothbased soup, and then a heartier pureed butternut squash soup. Beans are fantastic in soups; the keto recipes are super easy and you literally just throw in a frozen brick of chopped spinach. It’s really hard to mess up a soup, and they are great for emptying your fridge. Throw in all of your tired veggies, herbs, and maybe a can of beans with a box of chicken bone broth and you are off to a great start.
So take advantage of these seasonal one-pot wonders, stock up your freezer, and feed an army with healthy deliciousness all season long.
Mary Hale’s Chicken Corn Chowder
(serves 6)
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons butter
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
2 ribs of celery coarsely chopped
2 carrots coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic coarsely chopped
6 cups of chicken broth
1 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 large potato peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cups of frozen corn
1½ cups half-and-half
2 cups diced or coarsely chopped cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken is easy)
Optional for serving:
Shredded chedder
Sauteéd mushrooms
Crumbled bacon
Directions:
In a large saucepan melt the butter. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook, covered over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add chicken broth, herbs, potato, and 1 cup of corn. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove ½ the vegetables from the broth. Remove the bay leaf.
Using a handheld blender, purée the remaining vegetables, or, working in batches, purée in a blender or food processor.
Add to soup the remaining 1 cup of corn and return the vegetables to the pot. Add the chicken and cook on medium for 10 to 15 minutes.
Taste and add salt if necessary. Stir in the half-and-half.
Serve with or without optional toppings.
