Vegan Corn Chowder

I woke up to a snow storm and immediately knew I needed to have warm and hearty smells wafting throughout my house all day. For some reason corn chowder is what I pictured so I decided to give it a go in my slow cooker. Fast forward five hours later (I started at 8am so I let it slow cook until lunch) and voila, my version of corn chowder. You can convert it back to a creamier milk based soup, I just prefer dairy free for mine. I didn't have any potatoes handy so I swapped them for chopped cauliflower, which I always find to be a fantastic option when you're looking for less carb.

Ingredients:

4 ears of corn or 2 cans whole kernel corn (do not drain)
1 large white onion
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup sliced mushroom
1/3 cup sliced celery
4 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 cups chopped cauliflower
4 cloves fresh garlic sliced
1 tablespoon butter or butter substitute
1 bay leave
salt/pepper
 

Directions:

In a slow cooker, saute onions and garlic for 3-5 minutes

Switch to slow cook and add all of your ingredients. If you are using canned corn, use the liquid for your broth.

For a thicker consistency, take out 2-3 cups of strained soup and blend in a processor. Mix back into your slow cooker

Allow to cook 2-3 hours making sure your vegetables are completely tender

Remove bay leave and serve