Summer is right around the corner and I'm so excited to see corn and watermelon making their way into season. Having just made a ton of almond milk, I had my mind set on making a vegan "clam" chowder using oyster mushrooms. My friend, who hates mushrooms, easily talked me into a corn chowder when I saw all the beautiful, fresh corn at the market. Vegan Corn Chowder
I chopped up 1 red bell pepper, 2 small leeks, 1 red onion, 1 large potato, and 2 stalks of celery. I added in shaved corn from 3 cobs (roughly 2-3 cups, if using frozen). I melted some dairy-free "butter" in a large pot then added in the chopped veggies. I sautéed them until softened and then added a splash of liquid smoke (you don't need much at all), sea salt, 3 minced garlic cloves, about 1/2 tablespoon chili powder and 1 chopped jalapeño, with seeds (depending on your spice preference). I sautéed that for a few more minutes then stirred in 4 cups of almond milk (unsweetened) and roughly 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast. Brought the soup to a boil then let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add more salt or nutritional yeast to make the soup more savory. I garnished with cilantro, chives, and lime juice. Simple and tasty!