Fresh Corn Chowder

From EatingWell: July/August 1998 — Subscribe Now!

Turkey bacon gives this creamy corn chowder a fabulous flavor without adding a lot of saturated fat. The soup has less than 190 calories per serving so it's an excellent choice if you are watching your weight. If you don't have fresh corn, frozen will work just as well.

READER'S COMMENT:

"FABULOUS!!! I made this the other night exactly according to the recipe and it was delicious!! I added a little salt (to my taste) and my fiance added a can of crab meat. It made a delicious, healthy dinner. I've been looking for a...

6 servings, generous 1 cup each

Active Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 1/4 hours

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
2 slices turkey bacon, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 medium ears corn, kernels cut from cob (see Tip)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon, onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
Add corn kernels, potatoes, milk and salt to the pan. Return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Season with pepper. Serve garnished with parsley.

Tips & Notes

Tip: To remove corn kernels from the cob: Stand an uncooked ear of corn on its stem end in a shallow bowl and slice the kernels off with a sharp, thin-bladed knife. This technique produces whole kernels that are good for adding to salads and salsas. If you want to use the corn kernels for soups, fritters or puddings, you can add another step to the process. After cutting the kernels off, reverse the knife and, using the dull side, press it down the length of the ear to push out the rest of the corn and its milk.

Nutrition

Per serving: 188 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 14 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 3 g fiber; 605 mg sodium; 455 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (69% daily value), Vitamin A (19% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat