Cold Weather Recipes

This post was originally published as Day 1: Cold Weather Recipes by Laurel on Health Food blog. 

This is Day 1 of my “7 Days of Cold Weather Recipes” blogathon! I was inspired to make today’s recipe after tasting a corn soup last month at Hummus Place. It was something I never thought to make on my own, but I’m so glad I tried it out. This one will definitely become a cold weather staple in my house. It’s a vegan recipe, but thanks to a healthy addition of coconut milk, it’s creamy and filling! Try serving this soup with a scoop of quinoa or brown rice on the side to make it a complete meal.

To save time, I used a canned roasted red bell pepper and frozen organic corn. If you’re up for it, you can buy fresh ears of corn and use the leftover corn cobs to provide additional flavor to your soup. Since I had no idea how to make corn soup, I adapted my recipe from this Food Network recipe. As you can see, I substituted some healthier ingredients and changed a few proportions to make it my own.

Cold Weather Tip: This spicy soup is a perfect choice for a chilly winter night. Capsaicin, the spicy compound that makes hot sauce “hot”, and the hot liquid in the soup will warm up your body and clear your sinuses.

Spicy Corn Soup (Vegan)
(makes about 6 servings)

Spicy Corn Soup ready to eat!

1 bag frozen corn kernels (1 lb. or 16 oz.)
1 quart vegetable stock (low sodium)
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 canned roasted red bell pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce (or any hot sauce)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt & black pepper

 

Defrost the corn by rinsing it with warm water and straining in a colander. Chop up the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes until it begins to turn translucent, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, stir, and sauté for another minute or two. Stir in the chili powder, hot sauce, and a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the corn kernels and sauté for another 5 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock, and bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat. Pour half of the soup into a food processor (or blender) and leave the other half in the soup pot on the stove. Add the roasted red bell pepper and coconut milk to the soup in the food processor, and puree until smooth. Then, add the pureed mixture to the soup pot with the other half of the corn soup that you set aside. Stir and cook over medium heat for another 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

Tip: I used So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk in my recipe. You can find it in the refrigerated section of your grocery store next to the almond and soy milks. Another option is to use canned unsweetened coconut milk.

Close-up, half pureed, half whole kernels

This week I’ll be bringing you warm and comforting recipes to help get you through the cold winter nights. I’m still taking requests for recipes later in the week, so feel free to leave me a comment. Stay tuned for 6 more healthy cold weather recipes coming your way!