Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Nourishing Corn Chowder

As the Fresh Corn of the season begins arriving at our Local Farmers Markets we begin creating Appetizers, Entrees, side dishes and Soups with these ears of golden goodness.One of my favorite ways to savor this sweet Grain originally known as Maize,is to do a simple yet amazingly tasty Corn Chowder. 





The Organ Pair which is associated with the Season of Summer is Heart/Small Intestine 
Corn has a light, expansive, calming energy, particularly suited to hot summer days. Traditionally the grain used by Native Americans, Corn (Maize) is a grain to emphasize in the warmer months as it nourishes the heart and small intestines, the organ pair rule by the Suns Fiery Energy.

Corn Chowder Recipe: serves 4


Ingredients:
Ears of Corn 
2 Large Vidalia Onion small dice
2 Cloves of Garlic minced fine
2 Tbl Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Sea Salt 
3 Cups of Broth made by Boiling your Corn cobs for 15 minutes with a 1inch piece of Kombu Sea Vegetable 
1 Tbl of South River Chickpea Miso



Method:
Cut the Corn Kernels off the cobs and set aside
In a six cup pot add 4 Cups of water, Kombu Sea Vegetable and Corn Cobs which I like to cut
or break in half, bring to a Boil and simmer for 15 minutes, then strain
In a Saute pan I saute the Garlic and Onions in Olive Oil and Sea Salt over a med/low flame until they are transparent
Add Onion and Garlic mixture to 1/2 of the liquid and bring to a Boil 
Add the Corn Kernels and simmer for five minutes 
Add the Miso which you pureed with some of your broth at the very last Minute of Simmering
Remove from stove and Pour 1/3 of the Corn mixture into a blender, blend and add leftover broth that we put aside when needed. This will help you decide just how thick and creamy you want your Chowder
Then blend the remaining soup in 1/3 quantities just as you did with the first batch adding liquid when you need it


Diced Red Pepper for your Garnish
Garnish:
1 bunch of Cilantro, 2 Tbl Olive Oil and 2 Tsp Umeboshi paste pureed in a Blender with 1/4 cup of Spring Water. This is drizzled in a spiral design and I like to dot with small diced Red Pepper and a sprig of Cilantro in the center



Some Nutritional Benefits of Corn include being a good source of many nutrients including thiamin (vitamin B1), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), folate, dietary fiber, vitamin C, phosphorus and manganese. Corn's contribution to heart health lies not just in its fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate that corn supplies. As for the connection to the Small Intestine the Folic Acid in Corn supports the health of the Small Intestine which is beneficial to us all and it is crucially important for people who deal with Celiac and Crones Disease.
Folate, which you may know about as a B-vitamin needed to prevent birth defects, also helps to lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. Homocysteine can directly damage blood vessels, so elevated blood levels of this dangerous molecule are an independent risk factor for heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease, and are found in between 20-40% of patients with heart disease. It has been estimated that consumption of 100% of the daily value (DV) of folate would, by itself, reduce the number of heart attacks suffered by Americans each year by 10%. Folate-rich diets are also associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. A cup of corn supplies 19.0% of the DV for folate. In addition to its thiamin, corn is a good source of pantothenic acid. This B vitamin is necessary for carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. Pantothenic acid is an especially valuable B-vitamin when you're under stress since it supports the function of the adrenal glands. A cup of corn supplies 14.4% of the daily value for pantothenic acid.                    
Although this is not a regular addition to my posts I have decide to begin adding some nutritional facts for those of us who are trying to grasp the nutritional value we are receiving from all this beautiful food we are consuming.

May you be Blessed to see the Abundance in your Life always!
      

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