Autumn Potato Chowder

Who doesn't want to sit down to a hot bowl of creamy potato soup on a chilly fall day?  In my case, I have given up the delicious flavors of whole milk and fried bacon in my potato soup in order to experience restored health.  So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered a way to enjoy potato soup again, without the animal products!  This recipe is simple, satisfying and offers food sources that provide strength, energy and cancer protective qualities.  Just be sure to resist the temptation to drain the vegetables after boiling!  Everything goes in this soup - especially the boiling water with its nutrients. 

Potatoes - about 5 pounds

7-10 carrots

5-7 stalks celery

2 large sweet onions

1 head cauliflower - cook seperately!

2 cups frozen corn

1/2 cup nutritional yeast (added in 1/4 cup increments)

1 Tbsp parsley flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Wash and cut potatoes, with skin in tact, into 1/2 inch pieces.  Cut carrots, celery and onion into bite sized pieces and add to potatoes.  In a 6 quart covered pan, boil potatoes and vegetables with as little water as necessary for cooking - about 2 quarts of water.  Add 1/4 cup of the nutritional yeast and parsley.  Do not allow water to boil away.  Cook until tender, about 20-25 minutes.  

While the potato mixture boils, cut cauliflower into pieces, place in covered pan and steam with 2 cups of water until very tender - about 10 minutes.  Do not drain.  Place cauliflower and water into a blender and blend until creamy.  Once the potato mixture is tender, add 1 cup of the potato / vegetable mix to the cauliflower mixture and blend.  Add the second 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast and blend.  Taste.  Add salt and pepper as desired.

Pour cauliflower "cream" into the cooked potato and vegetable mixture.  Add frozen corn and stir until heated.  Season again with salt and pepper as needed.

*A delicious variation is to add chopped broccoli to this soup.  Broccoli would add more calcium, protein, phase II liver detoxifying enzymes as well as  cancer fighting agents like isothiocyanates and indol-3-carbinol.