broccoli potato chowder-ish

it’s not even close to the time in which this meal would be craved by anyone in their right mind. so, obviously this is something i crave fairly often despite the temperature that has DAYS of left overs, allows for high veggie intake covered in cheese (good fats???), and is very budget friendly.

if you are not a vegetable eater for whatever reason, we have to remind ourselves what these things do for our organs that will allow our mental/emotional/physical health to stay managed. as we get older, our vessel becomes more and more difficult to maintain without intentional focus…the way we could before the age of 32 - speaking for myself, of course. have you ever wondered why that is?? why do our bodies not let us eat fries and pizza forever without consequence of BREAKING DOWN as we get older??

well, the psych lecturer in me is stating it’s because our cells stop reproducing as quickly and what we eat becomes way more important!!! so, basically, eat ya fuckin veggies so you don’t get scurvy, bro. do you want scurvy in the apocalypse? couldn’t be me, personally.

here’s what we are looking for - any vegetable you can stomach that chops up easily for soup. we often use broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and corn so fiber is covered, for real. what actually makes this a chowder, though? i never understood that, never questioned it, just made this and called it chowder. after research, the reason this is chowder is because it is thickened with some dairy. normally, that will also include a roux or the addition of some non-dairy thickening agent.

this recipe is basic/survival based - you’re not going to get the churched up version of recipes here. remember, we’re in preparing mode for whatever future is making its way down the pipeline. we will use what we can find or get our grubby paws on!

ingredients:

• chopped vegetables of choice (ex: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, corn)

  • can be fresh or frozen based on price or necessity of use

  • 3 large handfuls of each for fresh chopped, use most if not entire bag for frozen

• diced potatoes

  • 4 lg handfuls for fresh, 2 to 3 15oz for canned

• stock of choice - 32floz, 1 box

• protein: 2 strips bacon as topper, 2 cups cheese

  • bacon optional, meat optional

  • cheese to be melted in while cooking

    • can be shredded from block or bought shredded depending on pricing

• 16floz dairy component of choice

  • milk, half/half, cream, unsweetened nut/oat milk

• seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic, onion

  • 2tsp of each pepper and onion

  • 2 tbs of each garlic and salt

    • 2tbs garlic salt combined can be used instead of separate seasonings
      

cooking instructions:

• set a large pot to medium/high heat, pour in all of the stock, and choices of veggies to fill 3/4ths of the pot

• add and mix in salt and garlic as stock heats to boil

  • add and mix in pepper and onion to taste

• add potato once boiling begins, wait for fresh potatoes to be full cooked before adding dairy component - mix periodically

• add cheese and dairy component - allow for cheese to melt into broth before mixing too much

  • often ready when foamy dairy substance appears on top

• serve with crumbled or sliced protein topper of choice

a batch of this can serve around 6 comfortably in one, meaning if it’s only one or two people, this lasts a good many meals in a week. the downside of this meal is the lack of versatility in its leftovers.

a chowders a chowder at the end of the day, and without a roux this one is just soup. HOWEVERRRR, you absolutely can change up the protein to make it taste differently across the days.

remove the dairy and you have a bomb-ass veggie soup that IS MORE versatile in its starch and protein options.

either way, it is really hot outside and nobody wants soup…except food is food. without passing along the survival narrative of “beggars can’t be choosers,” because everyone deserves choice, that’s the issue we are working to avoid. in many ways, i think i want to work to keep us from experiencing or feeling a lack of choice in the unknown. knowing we still have choice in the resources we already have available to us in some form or fashion can be helpful and grounding.

i do not know if that makes sense or not outside of my brain. i am sure the internet will tell me at some point. until then, take care out there.

-v.